


Of Love and Sacrifice

by VeraDiem8



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: (a little bit?), Alternate Universe - Vampire, Bottom Harry, Explicit Sexual Content, Forbidden Love, I live in the past and Zayn and Eleanor are still there, Louis is kind of evil at first, M/M, Oral Sex, Original Character Death(s), Porn With Plot, Rape/Non-con Elements, Rough Sex, Smut, Stockholm Syndrome, Top Louis, Vampire Louis, but he's also a vampire, could be triggering so please be careful!, more of a "I want to but I shouldn't want to" scenario, so give him a break
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-13
Updated: 2015-12-21
Packaged: 2018-04-26 04:13:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 21,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4989769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VeraDiem8/pseuds/VeraDiem8
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry Styles is haunted every night by the memory of a culling that destroyed his home and took the lives of half his family. The only thing that keeps him going is the knowledge that the agreement he made on that night will protect what remains of his loved ones. </p><p>Or,</p><p>Vampire Louis captures a young Harry and offers a "compromise" (on his terms, of course.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Nightmares

The first week of September was unnaturally cold. Several killing frosts had already brought the last summer harvest to an early close, and it seemed that a difficult winter would be unavoidable. The past handful of years had been deceptively prosperous, and some amount of hope even begun to take root. Young couples dared to start families and build permanent homes, and it wasn’t suicide to walk outside past sundown anymore.

Still, with a village comprised almost entirely of culling survivors, it didn’t take much more than a prickling at the back of someone’s neck to set everyone on guard. 

Most knew better than to outright panic when strange disappearances fueled rumors of the awakening, but some couldn’t help but take up root and quietly headed south in hopes of escaping their fate. 

Harry Styles, by exception, had no such illusions of freedom.

Harry was born the youngest of five siblings in a large township somewhere to the west, although he couldn’t recall the precise name or location of his birthplace. After all, it was now the graveyard to three of his siblings and many of his childhood friends, and he would like to forget every detail if he could. 

For his own peace of mind he had learned to master his thoughts during the day, but he was powerless against his nightmares when the sun fell. The memories that tortured him were as real and sharp as they had been at their forming. Most nights he would wake up drenched in cold sweat, tangled in his blankets, sometimes yelling, sometimes paralyzed with fear. 

Despite innumerable trials in meditation, dozens of herbal remedies, and at least a half dozen attempts at body purification and purging, Harry had found little respite. 

Tonight was no different. 

As soon as his eyes closed they opened again. The pillow on which he rested his head was gone – replaced by his father’s strong arms. The musty scent of the quilt that had swaddled him was replaced by the sweet scent of hay and then a suffocating gust of acrid, black smoke. He was a boy again, only ten or so, and he was being scooped onto the back of their oldest stallion, Avoi. 

Harry was trembled uncontrollably as his father swung up behind him and took hold of the reins. Avoi huffed and snorted with panic, jolting out of the stall when the reins were given a sharp flick.

“Don’t look, my son!” his father yelled, crouching forward to shield Harry as they burst from the stable. 

All around them was fire and the cacophonous din of crumbling stone and crackling wood. People were screaming. Harry’s eyes stung and watered; his throat was tight and pinpricks filled his lungs with every breath. 

He pulled the edge of his linen shirt over his nose and tried to force his eyes shut, but his every instinct urged him to keep them open as Avoi dodged and leaped the smoldering debris blocking the cobblestone road. Harry clung to his father’s arm where it squeezed tightly around his chest. 

The road widened and the houses parted - Harry recognized the marketplace. The path was relatively open to the city gates now, and Avoi picked up speed at his father’s command. They were nearly there – tantalizingly close – when harry felt a rush of liquid ice flood his veins. 

Avoi whinnied and dropped to his side throwing both Harry and his father to the ground. Harry rolled to a stop with the press of cool stone against his cheek. He wanted to scream as he felt warm blood wetting his hair but found himself nearly immobile.

Struggling to move his limbs, Harry glanced up in time to see gold and crimson flames belching from the central citadel as it collapsed in on itself, rolling out another brutally scalding wave of heat. 

Harry grimaced and tucked in on himself as best he could, unsure whether he was about to be burned to death. He realized that could not see or hear his father. His vision darkened to a single point, and the sounds that had been so piercing moments ago dulled to a soft murmur in the recesses of his mind, just as though he had shut himself into a quiet room.

“Hm, don’t leave, little one. A pretty thing like you would be a waste to lose so young.” A cool flutter of fabric ghosted over Harry and the oppressive heat was instantly repelled.

The voice continued: a tenor both sweet and rough. 

“I know you can hear me, love. Stay awake… I’ve decided that I want to play a game with you.”

Harry felt himself drown in nervous nausea as the voice came closer. He tried desperately to sit up; to scream; but no matter how hard he willed his body to react it would not. 

He shivered as his attacker knelt down beside him and brought his mouth to his ear.

“I will let you and your father live,” he whispered. “You will escape the city unharmed. You will grow to adulthood, and, when the time is right, I will come to claim you.” 

Harry made a choking sound in protest. 

“If you come with me obediently, I will not hurt those whom you have surrounded yourself with. In fact, I shall protect them from others of my kind.” 

A feather-light finger traced down Harry’s neck. 

“If you refuse me, however, I cannot promise a pleasant fate for you or your fellows. What do you say, pet?”

Harry repressed a shudder as he felt the constriction on his throat lessen. He drew in a deep breath. 

“W-what,” he coughed weakly, “Will you do with me if I go with you?”

“That’s part of the game, love!” the voice chortled, amused. “What indeed?”

Harry gasped as bright pulses of light appeared before his eyes. Seconds later his vision returned and he was finally faced with his attacker. The man – monster, truly, even if he appeared human – was smirking down at him cruelly. 

Harry couldn’t help but stare. His attacker’s features were sharp and… lovely. Angular cheekbones set off his small nose and mess of chestnut hair, which was artfully styled up and away from his forehead. His eyes were deep-set and crimson with bloodlust, but he was darkly, sinfully beautiful. Even the way his dark robes set off the extreme paleness of his skin was nothing short of stunning. He seemed to glow in the firelight.

Harry looked away quickly. A pang of helpless guilt washed through him as he caught up with his thoughts. Of course a Vampire would be gorgeous, he reprimanded himself – That’s how they lure their prey. Start thinking straight! 

“Your answer, love,” the creature prompted, bringing his fingers to Harry’s chin and pulling the boy’s gaze up to meet his own. The corners of his mouth dipped into a small frown. “I am not a patient man.”

Harry fought back a bitter retort about the fact that he was not a man at all. But then he thought of his father lying nearby, and of his mother and five brothers who had hopefully escaped the city. If he did this, they would be all right. They would live. 

“…I agree.”

The Vampire grinned, quickly showing off his razor sharp incisors. Fear squeezed a rapid beat from Harry's heart.

“Good choice,” he praised. “Tell me your name, love.”

“…Harry.”

The monster hummed and twisted a finger through the tumbles of curls that fell around Harry’s shoulders, then tugged them lightly. Harry felt himself blush in embarrassment as he was scrutinized.

“My name is Louis. Don’t forget it, dear Harold.”

Faster than Harry could process Louis swooped down and set his teeth into the boy’s neck, piercing the soft skin just deep enough to allow two drops of blood to seep out. Louis lapped them up quickly, his hot breath ghosting over the boy’s skin. Harry shuddered as Louis leaned back, eyes black-red and hungry. 

“Yes, you’ll be worth the wait.”


	2. Giving In

Harry awoke with his heart pounding in his chest and drenched in a cold sweat. His fingers were already on his neck, brushing away the phantom sting of the bite. Without hesitation he kicked off his covers and slipped off his bed, welcoming chill of the floorboards on the soles of his feet. His bedroom window was locked and bolted with the shades drawn tightly across, as he’d done every night since the culling. Not that it mattered – no amount of garlic strung over the door or crosses hung around his neck would protect him. Or anyone.

  
He shook his head. Garlic and crosses… how ridiculous. He hated that someone had actually started rumors about vampire having a weakness. It was unfair to inspire that kind of false hope in people. No one was safe. Not harry, not anyone.

He’d had the thought hundreds of times before, but now, panicked, exhausted of worry, exhausted of waiting, he was angry. Angry at the nightmares, angry at himself, angry at… that vampire.

  
Harry rushed over to the chest at the foot of his bed and quickly peeled off his pajamas. He dressed himself in brown trousers and a warm, woolen sweater. After a final glance around his room he snuck carefully past his father’s room and into the kitchen, preparing to grab a loaf of bread from the breadbox. He stopped and scoffed at himself; he wouldn’t be alive long enough to become hungry.

  
Before he left he scribbled a parting note on a scrap of paper. His schooling was limited, but his father would understand what he was trying to say. He would understand that this was the best thing for the family and for Harry.

 

Outside the full moon shone brightly and cast a blue-silver glow on the wheat and corn fields, which were now little more than patches of frost-hardened sod. The village was silent except for the occasional bark of a dog and the rustle of wind through the darkened trees.

  
Harry started out deliberately toward the road that would lead him west of town. It was seldom-traveled now, and weeds grew thick down the center. He listened to the heightened beat of his heart as he stepped more quickly, afraid that he would lose his nerve and turn around.

  
When the sky lightened and the colors of the forest regained some distinction, Harry departed from the road and hid himself at the base of a hemlock tree. His feet were sore and he knew he should be tired, but sleep still didn’t come easily to him. Finally, when the larks began to call, he closed his eyes.

 

The next two nights were spent walking deeper and deeper into the forest. Carts and horse’s hooves had given up maintenance of the road to woodland animals; the path Harry now walked was hardly discernable from a deer trail.

  
He wasn’t sure why he had decided to do all of his walking at night, except that maybe he hoped it would lure his fate. Contrary to his expectations he had indeed lived long enough to become hungry. Very hungry, in fact: he was sure that he was now traveling a fraction of the distance that he had on the first night. Each step felt more leaden than the last.

  
Harry furrowed his eyebrows. Just how cruel was this creature, anyway? It left Harry to wait and worry for nine years with no hint of returning, save for the nightmares. Didn’t it want to torture him in person? Finish its game? Anything would be preferable to the anticipation.

  
Then Harry had a thought that stopped him in his tracks. What if the monster had forgotten about its game? What if it didn’t want Harry at all? His throat tightened. He suddenly felt stupid for being vain enough to believe that he would hold anyone’s interest for this long, let alone a Vampire’s.

  
If that was the case, then Harry was just an idiot lost in the woods. At some point he would collapse from exhaustion, and then, maybe ten years later or something, the Vampire named Louis would stumble across his skull and have a good laugh because the human he threatened couldn’t take it.

  
Harry huffed out a breath and rubbed as his moss-green eyes where shameful tears were beginning to well. How much longer would he have to hang on? He plopped down resignedly in the dirt and decided to lie there in the fading starlight until morning. Hopefully some creature would come along and eat him; put him out of his misery.

  
“For chissakes, what the hell is going on?” a man’s voice boomed distantly. “I don’t care where you think it went, I want to know where you were when it disappeared!”

  
Harry sat up and listened intently. He strained his ears but could only make out some agitated mumbling. He was curious and had nothing to lose, so he abandoned the road and struck out in the direction the voices had come from.

  
The sky had lightened in preface to dawn when the voices became clear again. Thick grass and juniper bushes had taken the place of the old growth forest, and there were traces of rock walls: remnants of old farmland. The ground sloped upward into a small knoll, which Harry climbed cautiously before dropping into a crawl as he neared the peak.

  
“Fuck,” he grunted to himself in exhaustion. His mouth was dry and he was breathing heavily, but adrenalin kept him from surrendering to his body’s protests.

  
He tucked himself behind a towering patch of goldenrod, wincing at every crunch of a broken twig. When he had settled he spread apart the stalks that blocked his view until he could spot a small clearing below him. In the center was a large fire pit and beside it a crudely erected log cabin. He noted the silhouettes of three large men standing outside, dressed in thick animal hides and fur. They were talking lowly and gesturing in the same direction – Harry squinted his eyes and could barely make out what looked to be two larges cages. Both appeared empty.

  
The scent of wood smoke drifted up from the smoldering logs in the fire pit and Harry’s stomach grumbled in response. It reminded him of the open hearth in his kitchen at home, and of the cornbread and soups his mother prepared daily for them there. He willed his stomach to settle and tried to focus on the conversation the men were having as their voices rose again.

  
“We’ll have to go back to the mountains.”

  
One of the men groaned and swore. “Fuck it all, Levi. Those gryphons are smart! It was a miracle we caught them in the first place. Would have fetched good money in town.”

  
“Good money? Was the best money we woulda made all year.”

  
“I swear I didn’t do more than glance away and they were gone!”

  
“A glance is all it takes, you idiot!”

  
The man named Levi looked about to try and defend himself again, but the other two had already turned away.

  
“Shut it. Don’t even talk; I don’t want to hear ya grovel. Get the equipment together you lout, while we get the horses saddled.”

  
The men made toward the cabin but stuttered to a stop before they could reach the door. Harry’s own eyes widened when he saw what they saw; a fourth figure had appeared at the far edge of the clearing. It was cloaked in a black shroud and veiled in morning mist. It stood there silently, unmoving. Harry wondered if it had been there the whole time and no one had noticed in the dark. The very thought made his skin crawl. He glanced over his own shoulder quickly, in paranoia.

  
“Hey there!” one of the three men yelled, stepping forward. “Who are ye?”

  
The figure walked toward them without answering.

  
“Stop there!” The man yelled, and drew a knife from the belt at his waist. His companions followed in suit. The figure paused for a moment, then continued forward.

  
Harry shivered as the temperature around him dropped perceptibly. His next exhale came with a white puff of vapor. He tucked his fingers under his arms but couldn’t tear his eyes away from the scene playing out below him.

  
“I’ll gut ya if ya don’t stop right there,” the first man growled.

  
The figure stopped again and Harry could have sworn that he heard a chuckle.

  
“How amusing,” – it was a man’s voice - “You’re threatening me, but you’re the ones poaching on my land.”

  
“Ain’t nobody’s land!” the second man guffawed. “This country been abandoned.”

  
“…By some.”

  
“Take off yer hood, you coward.”

  
“I would, but I can sense that the mystery is unnerving to you. Are you frightened? I can sense you blood running quickly.”

  
Harry didn’t need to hear any more. He would recognize that voice anywhere. He’d found him.

  
The three men shifted uncomfortably.

  
“…I don’t suppose you’d have the sweetest blood, but it might be enough to feed some of mine…” The stranger continued. “It’s not too often that my prey deposits itself on my front stoop. Perhaps I shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth, as the saying goes.”

  
“Enough!” one of the men roared. “I don’t know what you are or what yer babbling about, but consider yourself dead!”

  
The men lunged forward with their knives ahead of them, but figure had little trouble dodging each swipe. He moved so quickly that his robes became a flurried blur. Then there was a sickening snap and one of the men crumpled to the ground. The other two stopped moving and dropped their knives. They glanced at their partner and mumbled something that Harry couldn’t hear.

  
“Your pleading means nothing to me,” the stranger asserted. “What chance does a lamb have against a starved wolf?”

  
Harry’s breath caught in his throat. These men would all die if he didn’t do something.

  
Without a second’s hesitation he burst from his cover and ran down the hill into the clearing, yelling: “Wait! Louis, stop!”

  
The cloaked figure paused and turned its hooded face toward the boy stumbling toward them. Ah, he thought to himself, and smirked. So that’s what I sensed in the woods.

  
“Stop,” Harry continued, panting through his last strides. He glanced at the fallen man and nearly retched when he saw the way his neck was so unnaturally turned.

  
“T-take me instead of them!”

  
Louis raised his hand and pushed back his hood, revealing a mess of chestnut hair and ghostly skin. His eyes were crimson-red, and his fangs glinted when he gave a short laugh. He was even more beautiful than Harry remembered.

  
“And why shouldn’t I take all four of you, now that you’ve presented yourself to me so easily?”

  
Well, Harry hadn’t quite gotten to that part.

  
Louis looked the young man up and down. He knew exactly who he was, and it thrilled him to know that he had come looking for his own fate. The game was on.

  
“…No answer for me, pet? Poor thing. All heroics and no brain.”

  
Harry looked down at the ground, which gave Louis time to admire his chocolate curls, even dusty and greasy as they were. His skin was fair and young, but his body was clearly malnourished. Louis could sense how weak he was, and he wondered how far he had traveled. The mountain men were forgotten for a moment as Louis stepped forward, tilting the boy’s face up with delicate fingers. It took every ounce of his self-control to stop from smiling when he saw those moss-green eyes looking up at him. His face was no longer babyish and round, but his eyes were the same. And those perfectly pink lips…

  
There was a scuttling behind him and Louis whipped around in time to see the men falling over themselves to get into the woods. He was about to pursue them when he felt a hesitant hand on his forearm.

  
“Please let them go?” Harry asked softly.

  
“You know not what you ask of me,” Louis growled. “Let go.”

  
Louis snatched his arm away but Harry stepped around and placed himself in front of the Vampire. Louis, a little irritated but mostly amused, quirked an eyebrow at him.

  
“You don’t want to make me mad, love,” he commented, but the threat was empty. There was something disarming about Harry’s determined little frown and the intensity with which he stared Louis down. It was alright if the men escaped for now; he could work with this.

  
“Hm, so, you want to sacrifice yourself for those two ruffians, is that it? How generous of you.”

  
He gripped his hand around Harry’s bicep so quickly that the boy gasped, then twirled him around and gave him a sharp pull so that he fell against his chest. He finished with an exaggerated sigh as he leaned down to rest his chin on the boy’s shoulder.

  
“I knew humans had poor survival instincts, but really, you insult me with this hunt. One would have thought you’d given up the will to live.”

  
The subtle jab caused the boy to tense. How cute.

  
“…You don’t even remember me, do you?”

  
“Hm?” Louis grinned behind him.

  
“I said, you don’t remember me. You forgot.”

  
Harry grit his teeth. Like hell this creature was going to suck him dry now without acknowledging that he was the root of every shadow cast on their family for the past decade.

  
“You are-”

  
Harry’s thoughts dropped off as a sharp, hot pain blossomed just under his jaw. He felt his eyes prickle with tears as the vampire’s hot tongue swept over his neck and coaxed the flow of blood to begin. He wanted to scream or lash out; anything, but he felt paralyzed. It was the same as when Louis had held him before. All he could do was feel: feel the way Louis caught his wrists in an iron grip with one hand tugged his hair with the other to keep his neck exposed. Feel the way Louis' shallow exhales fell gently against his cheek. Feel the sturdiness of the vampire's chest against his back. 

  
Louis hummed appreciatively at Harry’s sweetness; it was just as satisfying as the first taste had been. He would have to pace himself or the poor thing would faint.

  
Louis drew his mouth away from the boy with a final lick.

  
“I know who you are, Harold,” he confirmed. “It’s not every day that I make a deal with a human, after all.”

  
Harry could barely nod. His head felt light, and his thoughts were becoming disconnected. It would be nice if he could lie down. Louis’ words rang in his mind but he couldn’t think of an intelligible response. The last sensation he registered was his head lolling to the side and his eyes closing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh ho! No smut today, I'm sorry... next chapter for sure. ;) Got to try and build up a little plot before I tear it down with allllll the sex.


	3. The First Night

Harry awoke to the scent of cooked venison. Well, his stomach awoke first, then the rest of him. He groaned and rolled onto his side, tugging the blankets closer to his chest. His body ached and his head was a throbbing mess. His mother must have made him dinner and brought it to his room; maybe he was sick with a fever.

“Are you awake yet?” an impatient voice asked.

Harry tried to make it his father’s voice, but his father’s voice was deep and soft. This person was commanding and – _shit_. Harry’s mind finally caught up with his senses and his eyes flew open. There, leaning against the bedpost, was Louis. He had his arms crossed tightly and his mouth was set in a small frown. He had taken off his robes and was standing in nothing but black linen pants and a silver belt.

Harry’s eyes quickly traveled down his chest – he was toned and lean; obviously strong, but his muscles were not obnoxiously oversized. He was covered in the most fascinating ink designs, and Harry couldn’t quite help staring. In his village it was seen as a sin to mark yourself in such a way, but he’d always privately thought that it was a beautiful art. 

Louis smirked and moved from the foot of the bed to Harry’s side, gesturing to the plate of meat sitting on his night table. “Sit up. Eat this, or you’re going to starve.”

Harry furrowed his brow in confusion.

“I thought you were just going to kill me,” he said slowly.

“If that was what I wanted to do, love, I would have done it nine years ago.”

“Fine,” Harry humphed. “…So my family, they’ll be protected now?”

“Ah yes, I did say that, didn’t I? Then yes, they will be under my coven’s protection.”

“And the men from before? Did you let the other two go?”

Louis rolled his eyes and placed the plate of food on Harry’s lap.

“Just eat.”

“Did you?” Harry pressed.

“Well, _I_ let them go… How far they got is another matter entirely.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means,” another voice interrupted from the door, “That Louis pointed the rest of us in the right direction. Thanks, mate.”

Harry’s eyes widened as another man entered the room, dressed head-to-foot in white. He had softer features than Louis, and brown doe-eyes that matched the color of his hair. He was sturdier than Louis, though, and probably had a few inches on both of them.

“So you fed?” Louis prompted.

“Very much so.”

The stranger smiled and Harry noted his fangs.

“This is Liam,” Louis gestured. “One of my brethren.”

Liam sauntered over to them. “And what’s your name, angel?”

“… I don’t have to tell you,” Harry muttered, picking at the edge of his blanket instead of making eye contact with the new vampire.

“His name is Harry, and stop looking at him like you want him. He’s mine.”

Liam scoffed but took a step back.

“You could share him for a night or two… I’d let you have Zayn,” he winked, grinning mischievously.

“No.”

Liam chuckled and looked at Harry again.

“Welcome to the coven, little one. I’ll bring Zayn over once you get settled. Oh, and if you find that Louis is too rough for you…”

Louis pointed to the door emphatically.

“OUT.”

Liam waved and left.

Louis rubbed his hands over his face. “My coven is very… forward with their desires. But you are mine. And don’t forget it.”

Harry frowned a little but said nothing. He kept glancing at the venison, which he now saw was accompanied by two raw carrots. The meat looked a little burnt, but it smelled delicious. Not that he would embarrass himself by asking his captor for anything.

His stomach betrayed him with a loud growl. Louis raised his eyebrows and set the plate down on the boy’s lap.

“Eat. If you won’t eat in front of me, I will leave.” He stood and took a few steps toward the door, then paused and turned around. “I was born a vampire, so I’ve never had to prepare human food. But I tested the meat and it should have been cooked long enough to be suitable. I will ask Ed to cook for you next time.”

Louis left and shut the door before Harry could say anything. He looked down at his food with a puzzled smile.

 

It was two hours before Harry had another visitor. In the meantime he’d eaten his meal and napped, and had awoken feeling much better than he had for quite some time. He explored his room – the door was locked from the outside, of course, but he tried it anyway – and found that it was attached to its own garderobe. The walls were stone but the floor and ceiling had been set with wide mahogany planks. A small chandelier hung from one of the rafters. Several large oriental rugs and tapestries granted the room a little color, and there was even a lovely fireplace on the west wall. If Harry were picky he might have wished for a window or two, but as far as prisons went he couldn’t have done better.

He was just playing with the wax from one of the candles by his bed when the latch on his door clicked softly and a lad around his age, maybe a bit older, stepped inside. He was dressed entirely in white but he had jet-black hair and exotic features – Harry thought he looked like a prince from the Middle East.

The boy gave him a little smile. He had kind, amber-brown eyes.

“Harry, is it? I’m Zayn.”

“Hi,” Harry acknowledged, a little unsure of his visitor. Zayn crawled onto the bed and sat with his legs crossed.

“I’m not a vampire, if that’s what you’re wondering.” He smiled widely so that Harry could see his teeth, then continued. “Where are you from?”

“Um, Devonshire, in a little settlement town. Culling survivors and the like. Not a very permanent home.”

Zayn nodded but looked like he was still trying to figure something out. “Did Louis just take you then, or what? You seem very... calm...”

Harry slowly recounted the tale of his encounter with Louis and the events that led them to the present moment.

“He didn’t even come for me, I had to come to _him_. I only ran into him by accident.”

“He would have come for you,” Zayn stated with confidence. “He always gets what he wants, and he doesn’t forget things. You said he bit you when you were little, right? Vampires connect with the soul of their prey when they feed. If they don’t kill the creature, they bond with it on a subconscious level. It’s a sixth sense kind of thing, and stronger in purebloods. That’s probably why you had nightmares every night, and why Louis went to the woods where you were yesterday.”

Harry ran a hand through his curls. “That’s… That’s a lot to take in, I guess.”

Zayn nodded. “I didn’t have anyone to tell me all of that when I first came here. I figured you’d want to know.”

“What’s your story? How did you get here?”

“I’m not from England, but you probably guessed that. Liam saved me from a culling in Constantinople. The rest of my family was killed.”

“He killed your family?”

Harry’s eyes went wide with alarm.

“No, no! The city was under siege from a coven that was known for its ruthlessness toward humans. Liam didn’t belong to a coven at that point, and was nearly starved. He had been following the coven like a vulture follows the lion. But he didn’t want to kill me, so he took me away from the city. After he fed he tried to return me, but when we got back…” Zayn trailed off, staring at the ceiling, lips pursed.

“‘M sorry, mate…” Harry leaned over to envelope the boy in a hug. Zayn was board-stiff at first, but then softened. He mumbled his thanks.

“Anyway, I had no where to go, so I went with Liam. We wandered for a while and eventually wound up in Burgundy, which is where we met with Louis and his coven.”

Harry nodded stonily. “Well, Louis’ coven is still responsible for the death of three of my siblings and the lives of many other people in the city where I was born.”

“There’s a history there too, mate. Always two sides, yeah?”

Harry was about to inquire further but Zayn stood up.

“Louis should be the one to tell you about it, if he wants to. I know you don’t know what time it is, but it’s actually pretty late at night. I can tell that Liam’s waiting for me, so I’ve got to go back. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you a lot, though.”

Zayn paused as he was pulling the door shut behind him.

“Sorry mate, I’d leave it open, but Louis’ orders…”

Harry shrugged.

“Yeah. Good night.”

 

Moments after Zayn left the door opened again. This time it was Louis in the doorway. He had a shirt on this time (unfortunately) and had come with a few candles to replace the ones that where burning low.

“You met with Zayn?” he asked.

Harry nodded.

“Are you hungry?”

Harry shook his head.

“Cold?”

“Um, a little…”

Louis went to the fireplace and took a few logs from pile near the chimney. He stacked some kindling and dried grass in the hearth and lit it with a few strikes from a piece of flint. Harry watched quietly from the bed, filled with conflict. In the fire the vampire’s face was illuminated just as it had been in every nightmare Harry had had for the past nine years, but this Louis was not as frightening as he remembered.

“Better?” Louis asked, turning back to him as warmth began to fill the room. Instead of waiting for an answer he walked briskly to the garderobe and lit the candles inside.

“I am having water heated for your bath. You will clean yourself thoroughly and return to bed. I will be back in a while; you can sleep until then if you wish.”

Harry blushed heavily as Louis left. It didn’t take a genius to guess where this was headed but he didn’t have the nerve to ask outright. A hundred questions popped into his mind. Couldn’t vampires have sex with other vampires? Why did Louis even want to have sex with him? Well, assuming that sex _is_ what he wants.

Harry squirmed nervously. Maybe he just wants someone to cuddle with? Harry mentally face-palmed before flipping himself over and groaning into his pillow.

It was time to face facts. Harry was a complete virgin. He’d never kissed anyone in his life. Sure he’d gotten himself off, but this was entirely different. This involved a second person. Not even a person! A stunningly gorgeous vampire with bright blue eyes who had kidnapped him and locked him up but who had also spared his and his father’s lives. How was he even supposed to feel about that?

 

Two maids brought the water to his room in large basins. Harry felt awkward watching them prepare his bath, and asked several times if he could help. One finally hissed and flashed her teeth at him. He stood quietly by the fireplace until they finished.

The water was scalding hot. His dipped his foot in for only a moment and it came out red. Did vampires think humans liked to be boiled like potatoes? He knew from the few warm baths that he’d had in his life that the water didn’t stay hot for long, though, so he eased himself into tub and lathered himself in soap. As he scrubbed the water became dingier and dingier. Harry ducked to clean the soap from his hair and tried to think of any places he might have missed.

…That brought up another question. How did sex between two men work? He knew that the church thought it was a sin, but Harry was neither religious nor did he care what anyone thought of him. He had been attracted to men his whole life, and figured that any religion that claimed someone could be born a sinner was not a religion he wanted to be a part of.

All of that aside, he still didn’t have any details on homosexual sex. He did the best he could to make sure he was presentable for Louis and stepped out of the water.

Someone had changed the sheets in his bed but hadn’t left any clothes, so Harry slipped under the covers nude. He had toweled his hair mostly dry, so it wreathed his face in a feathery mass of curls. He didn’t intend to fall asleep again, but he was clean and warm and comfortable and his eyes shut easily.       

 

“I can see why you chose him. As humans go, he’s lovely.”

“Not as beautiful as you, my love.”

A soft laugh.

“Well, no, but perhaps I could have him once in a while?”

A short pause.

“Of course.”

Harry stirred and opened one eye.

“Oh look, he’s awake! He’s even more adorable.”

A female vampire with long, cool brown hair was smiling down at him. Like everyone else he’d met so far, she was beautiful. Louis was standing next to her with his arm around her waist, but his expression was unreadable.

“Well, I’ll let you have your fun. I’ll be heading out to Readfordshire for the night.”

Louis looked like he was about to protest but she swung in and kissed him passionately, weaving her hands into his hair. She turned quickly and lifted the hem of her velvet dress so that it wouldn’t drag on the floor.

“See you in the morning, love,” she smiled.

“Good night, Eleanor.”

The door shut with a click.

Harry’s mouth was still hanging open. It felt like a cold dagger was stuck in his heart. Or like someone had squeezed all the air from his lungs. Which was ridiculous, because that would mean that he had allowed himself to become emotionally invested in the vampire in some way, which, _no_. _Never_.

The quickest flash of regret passed over Louis’ face as he turned back to Harry, but it was gone in a blink.

“That was my wife, Eleanor. We’ve been together for a little over two centuries now, not that you need to know.”

“Um, she’s beautiful…” Harry said, feeling dumb.

“She is. But I don’t want to talk about her anymore. Push back the covers; I want to see you.”

Harry blushed and he clenched the sheets tighter to his chest. He began to feel a little panicked.

“I… I don’t want to.”

“You don’t want to?” Louis parroted, raising his eyebrows.

“…No.”

Louis’ fringe was still mussed from Eleanor’s hands and it was all Harry could focus on.

“Harold, did you forget our bargain?”

“Why do you even need me? …Why did you even want me, when you have her?”

He realized that hot tears were leaking from his eyes and that his voice was getting louder and louder. He wished he could stop himself but he just couldn’t.

“I wish you had just killed me! And my family too if you had to… but I just can’t stand it! You’ve caused me so much pain!”

Louis looked uncomfortable.

“Calm down,” he ordered.

Harry huffed and looked away as the tears continued to fall.

“Stop crying.”

“You can’t just tell someone to stop crying!” Harry burst, and turned on his side, away from Louis.

Faster than Harry could take another breath Louis was on the bed and straddling him over the quilt. He had both of Harry’s wrists in his hands and had them shoved against the headboard. His eyes flashed red.

“Learn your place, human,” he said lowly. “It is now my choosing whether you live or die, and you just have to accept it. You should be happy: your family is safe, and all you have to do in return is serve me.”

When Harry didn’t acknowledge his words and continued to squirm, Louis dipped down and sunk his fangs viciously into the smooth flesh at the junction of the boy’s neck and collarbone. Harry stilled immediately. His skin was salty and damp with tears.

After a few deep draws Louis retracted his fangs and found himself trailing light kisses up the boy’s neck.

Harry shuddered when the vampire kissed the corner of his mouth. He was still upset but didn’t have the strength to cry anymore.

“Look at me,” Louis whispered.

Harry met his eyes.

Louis nodded slightly and scanned the boy’s flushed face. There was no trace of happiness in the boy’s eyes, and his mouth twitched like he might start crying again. Louis ran his thumb gently over his bottom lip.

“You probably think that I’m nothing but a monster, but I do have morals… Count yourself lucky, because that isn’t always the case with my species.”

Louis sat up and slowly brought his shirt over his head, showing off his toned abs.

“Humans and vampires are alike in certain ways,” he continued, “More than either of us would care to admit, I think. For instance, we both enjoy sex for leisure.”

He took Harry’s hand and pulled him forward so that he was sitting up. Without letting go he pressed Harry’s hand to his chest.

“I will not force myself on you tonight. But I want you, Harry, and I will have you.”

Harry sniffled and silently traced his fingers down the vampire’s skin, feeling the little dips of his muscles. He was firm and warm. He followed the swirls of several tattoos. Some were elaborate knots like the ones the Celts drew, some were animals he didn’t recognize, some were words in a language he’d never seen.

“Do you like my ink, love?” Louis asked softly, after a few minutes.

“Mhm.”

“Some I’ve had for many decades,” he gestured to a faded pattern on his upper arm, “And we will to be redone soon.”

Harry couldn’t contain his curiosity.

“Does it hurt when you get one?”

“Vampires are stronger than humans, and I’m a pureblood. So no, for me it didn’t hurt at all. Felt like pressure, like your fingers on me now.”

Harry drew his hand back.

“...I’d do it, even if it hurt.”

“Good, because you’re getting one tomorrow,” Louis tapped the back of his neck, between the shoulder blades, “Right here.”

“I am?”

“Yes, with the sign of my coven. So that everyone will know who you belong to.”

Harry sighed in resignation.

“Will I ever be able to leave this room?”

“Once you learn to behave, of course. You’ll have as much freedom as Zayn does.”

“Why-”

“No more questions,” Louis interrupted him. “The candles are nearly out – I will rest here with you for a while, but you’ll have to adjust so that you’re awake at night, as we are, in case I want you.”

Harry could do little more than nod as Louis climbed under the covers. When the vampire was settled Harry inched as far away from him as he could. He wanted so badly to hate Louis, but his damn heart wouldn’t let him. This creature was basically going to use him as a sex slave, and Harry kind of liked him. What the hell was wrong with him?

 

Louis was far from sleep. He kept asking himself why he was laying in bed with this human boy, treating him like his equal rather than his prisoner. Wasn’t he supposed to be the one in change? Taking what he needs and then leaving? Why was he coddling him? _I’ve gone soft,_ he groaned to himself.

And yet, the boy hadn’t seemed particularly opposed to him in the end, the way he was reverently running his fingers over his chest. The very thought made his dick give a hopeful twitch... This was turning out to be a more complicated arrangement than he had planned. What the hell was wrong with him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I guess a garderobe is a medieval bathroom... based on a quick Google search, anyway. I'll have to add "historical inaccuracies" to the tags. Ha! If you're curious I'm thinking this story takes place in the 13th century-ish.
> 
> Thank you for reading the update! Hope you've had a great weekend, wherever you are!


	4. Taking the Stairs

When Harry next awoke the other side of the bed was empty. He spread himself out languidly and yawned before noticing a little stack of clothes at the foot of his bed and a loaf of bread on his nightstand. He ate quickly and eagerly before moving to inspect his new wardrobe. There was a note on top of the stack which he and held up to a candle for inspection.

The handwriting was in cursive; it was lovely and neat. …And Harry couldn’t read it. He studied the words for few good minutes before grunting in frustration. His dropped the note on the bed and held up his clothes –they were unadorned white linen pants and tunics, like Zayn’s. How unexciting.

When he was dressed and had freshened up, Harry turned himself around the room a few times, unsure what to do next. He approached his door hesitantly and gave it a skeptical tug. To his great surprise (and delight), the door swung open freely.

The corridor that lay in front of him was entirely silent. There were a handful of other doors – all shut. If he went to the right he could just make out a staircase that wound upwards. To the left he could see nothing but darkness.

Harry flitted quickly back into his room, biting his lip in excitement and grabbing the largest candle he could find. He hadn’t been provided with any shoes so he padded out barefoot, shutting his door behind him.

He really didn’t anticipate getting far; Louis didn’t seem like the type of person to forget a detail as crucial as locking his prisoner’s door. In fact, maybe he _meant_ for Harry to leave the room – maybe the note had instructions on where he should go. So, in the end, it was actually Louis’ fault for assuming that Harry was good at reading.

After a moment’s hesitation, Harry chose the direction of the staircase. Winding stairs meant a tower, and a tower meant windows where he could see where exactly he’d been taken.

The steps of the staircase were made of thick oak and barely made any sound as he climbed. Stone walls kept the air was earthy and cool, which was a blessing since the spiral got tighter and steeper the higher he went. When he finally came to the last step he was panting and dizzy. His legs felt like jelly. Perhaps he wasn’t quite as recovered from the strains of his journey as he thought...

What faced him now was a small door. He noted with a smile that soft rays of sunlight were leaking in under its threshold; he gave it a push and it opened without too much effort, flooding the stairwell with light. Harry blinked and squinted, tucking his arms as a gust of wind blew in.

His eyes adjusted to find that he was in an open turret approximately twenty feet in diameter. Through the toothy gaps in the battlement he could see a wide expanse of barren hills below them, covered in yellow grass and little else. Rock walls checkered some of the fields, but there was no livestock to fill the pastures. Far off – so far he had to hold his hand to his brow to block out the sun – was the telltale glint of the ocean.

Edging closer to the battlement so that he could get a better look at the castle itself, Harry discovered that it was designed octagonally with four main towers (his being one) and four shorter ones. In the center was a large courtyard that looked beautifully maintained, even from afar. He decided that his next goal would be to make it down there and –

“THERE you are!”

Harry spun around in alarm and was met with an exhausted-looking Zayn hanging on the doorframe.

“Oh, hello,” Harry said sheepishly.

“ ‘Oh hello’?” Zayn mocked, rolling his eyes, “You’re going to get me in serious trouble!”

“Me? How?”

“Well, I’m supposed to be watching you while Louis’ gone. I left your room for, like, two minutes to grab a book since you were so sound as asleep, and when I got back you were gone!”

“Oh! I thought maybe Louis had left the door unlocked for me…”

Zayn gave him a look like maybe he doubted his sanity and shook his head.

“I can’t even _begin_ to tell you the flaws in that logic… Just come on, it’s fucking cold out here.”

Zayn herded him back down the stairs and into his room like a sheepdog, sighing in relief when the door was shut behind them.

He laughed tiredly as they sat down on the bed.

“You really had me concerned. I was about to get Liam to come help me look, and that would have been a last-ditch effort. He would have given me so much grief for losing you…”

Harry flopped onto his stomach and pulled the book that Zayn had left on the bed closer to his face. He opened the cover, stared intently at the first page for a moment, then dropped his forehead onto it.

Zayn snickered.

“What’re you doing?”

“…Learning,” Harry mumbled. “I’m going to absorb all the knowledge I need.”

“Let me know how that works for you.”

He pulled the book out from under Harry and thumbed through the first few chapters until he came to the page he’d dog-eared the night before. "Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor". brought him right back to his homeland and away from this frozen tundra.

“Hey, um…”

Zayn looked up to find that Harry had scooted closer to him and was giving him sad puppy eyes.

“I was wondering if you could teach me a little. Just a few words or something a day, and I could practice while I’m alone. I really want to learn how to read better.”

“I don’t think that would be a problem. Sure. Can I ask if there’s any reason in particular, or…?”

Harry looked around and grabbed Louis’ note, which had fallen to the floor.

“It’s just that Louis already thinks I can read, I think. But I have no idea what this says. It just looks like a bunch of swirls.”

“Well, that was a note he left for me, actually.”

Harry looked surprised, and maybe a little flustered.

“Oh? Um, what does it say? Is it about me?”

“Yeah,” Zayn affirmed as he began to read it out loud. “Says, ‘Zayn, keep an eye on him while I’m gone. I’ll be back in the mid-afternoon. Have Liam bring your tattoo needles to his room so that it’s ready when I get back.”

“ _You’re_ going to be tattooing me?” Harry balked.

Zayn shrugged.

“Guess so. I did some of Louis’. He must think I do alright.”

Harry looked contemplative for a moment, and then broke out in a childish grin.

“Can you do a butterfly?”

Zayn grinned. This kid looked so innocent with those huge dimples. He would be hard to say “no” to.

“I can do anything. I draw all the time.”

Harry wasted no time in lifting his shirt and tracing a finger under his sternum.

“I want a huge butterfly right here, like, a really detailed one.”  

Zayn wasted no time in fishing a piece of charcoal from the fireplace and wearing it down to a point by rubbing it on the hearthstones. He always stored extra sheets of blank paper in his books when Liam brought a ream back from his travels, so he pulled a sheet from "Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor” tucked back up on the bed. Harry watched in awe as he quickly fleshed out the design.

“That looks brilliant, Zayn.”

“S’alright,” Zayn hummed, tilting his head back and forth to inspect his lines. “Is that what you were imagining?”

“Exactly what I was imagining.”

When Liam came in a few hours later with Zayn’s supply of needles and ink, he found the two boys bent over a stack of paper on the bed. It was Zayn’s reject pile, which continued to grow despite Harry’s protests.

“Really Zayn, I love that one. I’ve loved all of them!”

“This is permanent art, Harry. You’re going to have this tattoo on you for your entire life, so it’s got to be perfect.”

Liam chucked and put the supplies down gently on a chair. Harry noticed him first, so Liam held a finger to his mouth and smiled. He snuck up behind his little artist with the stealth born of any nighttime predator and winked at Harry before grabbing Zayn around the shoulders.

The poor boy yelped and Harry reeled with laughter, rolling around on the bed.

“Hi sweetheart,” Liam purred against Zayn’s cheek. Zayn leaned away pointedly, but his sour look of displeasure made Harry laugh even harder.

Eventually Zayn’s mouth twitched into a smile in spite of himself and he shoved Liam away playfully.

“Now I’ve got to start over again.”

“Nooooo,” Harry cried, laying his arm over his face.

“I’m kidding; I’d finished already. I wouldn’t have forgiven him so easily if he screwed up my drawing.”

“So I’m forgiven?” Liam tried.

“…Only ‘cuz you’re damn good in bed,” Zayn muttered before quickly scooting off the bed and readying his needles.

Liam smirked fondly after him and then looked back at Harry.

“So, you seem in good spirits… Did Louis… show you a good time last night?”

Harry’s smile faded and his hands fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

“You don’t have to say, love,” Liam continued quickly. “I was just… happy, and maybe a little surprised, to see you so happy today. Doesn’t usually happen a lot, go figure.”

Harry gave him a grateful smile. He hadn’t been sure about Liam after their first meeting, but his opinion was improving. He wondered if he was a pureblood, and, if not, how long he’d been a vampire. Purebloods were notorious for their cruelty toward humans, having never been human themselves. They believed in their superiority and felt that they owed no kindness to their prey, but that’s why Louis kept pleasantly surprising him. Humans-turned-vampire, on the other hand, usually retained some or most of their original nature. Liam seemed too human to be a pureblood. But then again, in some ways, Louis did too.

Zayn returned to the bed with his supplies and nodded at Harry.

“Take off your shirt and lay down.”

“I think you should wait until Louis gets here,” Liam counseled.

“Harry wants a butterfly on his stomach.”

“It will be a surprise for Louis,” Harry giggled as Zayn took a damp cloth and wiped his skin down.

Liam looked unconvinced but pulled up a chair to watch the process.

Zayn took a tiny bundle of the copper needles and began pricking Harry’s skin with them, just enough to draw blood. Harry hissed and bit his fist.

“Hurts,” Zayn stated as he took an edge of cloth, dipped it into some ink, and then wiped it over the pinpricks. “You kind of get numb to it in a bit, though.”

Harry agonized over “in a bit” and decided to say nothing lest he yell profanities at Zayn and tell him to stop.

The process took hours, especially since Zayn had to stop several times so that Liam could take him into the hall and feed from him: smelling Harry’s blood had done a number on his self-restraint.   

“…I can’t wait to fuck you tonight,” Liam was murmuring into Zayn’s ear as they came back into the room.

“Zayn, I feel like I’m dying,” Harry whined from the bed.

Zayn ignored Liam and settled next to Harry again, grabbing a new candle from the stack Liam brought.

“Nearly done, mate.”

 

Louis had a long day. He’d left Harry sound asleep in Zayn’s care, so he wasn’t too concerned about the boy. What he _was_ concerned about was his wife, who hadn’t come home when she was expected. Normally Louis wouldn’t have minded – or cared – but he’d been feeling a little guilty since he brought Harry home. It wasn’t like they’d never slept with anyone else: they did it all the time, in fact. And neither had ever been jealous of the other.

…But neither of them had ever desired a human before, and Louis supposed that she might be angry with him for sleeping with an inferior being.

He shook his head. She knew that he was only keeping him for sex; lots of vampires took human slaves, particularly sex slaves. Many had entire harems, in fact.

Louis rolled his eyes. It was no use; five, ten, _twenty_ centuries with Eleanor would never be enough to figure out her moods. When was the last time they fucked, anyway? Months, at least. It was one of Louis’ greatest regrets that he’d been wed to Eleanor _and then_ discovered that he liked fucking males better than females.

Unfortunately, there was no such thing as a vampire divorce… Once a pair was mated, the bond was locked until one of their deaths.

…But that was the other strange thing. When their marriage was new, Louis had a firm sense of Eleanor’s state no matter how close or far away she was. They could be across the country from each other and still know if the other was feeling troubled.

Recently, however, it was becoming increasingly difficult for Louis to sense his mate out. Most of the time it was a blessing, as the connection had come to be an annoyance to him, but now he just wanted to find out if she was OK so that he could go back to his bloody home.

…And Harry.         

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Harry's first tat! ...Medieval tats were no joke. Actually, the method I'm loosely describing Zayn using is how historians think that Egyptians tattooed themselves. There were pretty much no tattoos in England at the time this story takes place because RELIGION. It is a fun ruiner. A ruiner of fun. :P Anyway, Look! A wild Ziam appears! It used "attract!" It's very effective! 
> 
> I'm sorry that this chapter just kind of ends... I was going to write more but then realized that I have WORK tomorrow. It is a fun ruiner. A ruiner of fun.
> 
> Thank you for reading! See ya next chapter :)


	5. A Dirge in the Dark

Eleanor was not in Readfordshire. Louis cursed impatiently as he left the village, running a hand through his hair. He could check Loch Laird, a little to the north, where Eleanor had some acquaintances, but the black stallion on which he rode would not be up for the trip. The beast was already sheening in sweat and puffing heavily. It would be well and truly useless to him if he pushed it any further.

Truth be told he could have just as easily made the journey on foot in just as little time, but he wasn’t in the mood to give away his identity. Contrary to popular belief, vampires could not turn into bats and flit around as they pleased, but they _were_ gifted with amazing speed and strength, and faster reflexes than any human. Perhaps, in that way, it seemed like they were able to fly.

After considering his options, Louis flicked his reins in the direction of home. If Eleanor wanted to disappear with her friends then she was welcome to do so.

The closer he got to the castle, the more exhilaration he felt. It was a rare sensation for a vampire of his age – centuries of observation had shown him the consistency and relative monotony of living things. There was little that surprised or excited him anymore, save for this curly-haired human.

The sky began to fill with clouds as they reached the highlands that prefaced his coven’s territory. Respite from the sun granted his stallion the energy to charge ahead as damp gusts of ocean wind, towing a swath of gray fog, licked at their heels. Louis was glad that he’d turned back when he had. They’d be socked in within the hour.

 

Harry sat up gingerly to inspect his stomach for at least the tenth time within the past fifteen minutes. Zayn had placed a clean cotton bandage and some ointment over the marks to calm his skin’s irritation.

“Just lay still,” he advised. “You’re going to smudge it.”

Harry lay back down as quickly as he could.

“Really?”

Zayn smirked.

“If I say ‘yes,’ will you stop moving?”

Harry grinned and sat back up, lifting the bandage very gently. Zayn rolled his eyes.

“Feels like I got a really bad sunburn just on my stomach…”

“Louis will take care of it for you,” Liam piped in. He was sitting beside Zayn at the other end of bed but kept dozing off against the smaller boy’s shoulder.

“You know you can go to sleep, right?” Zayn asked, turning his attention to the vampire.

“And leave you alone with this little hellion?” – Liam winked at Harry – “No way. Louis would have a fit if you let him escape… _Again_.”

Zayn balked.

“You _knew_?”

“I could sense your anxiety this morning. You’re never nervous.”

“Well thanks for coming to help look for him…”

“Knew you’d find him, sweetheart.”

Liam leaned over and kissed Zayn on the forehead.

“I hate it when you call me that,” Zayn groaned as Liam started to chuckle.

“I know! I also know what you _do_ like to be called, my dirty-”

A flying pillow interrupted Liam mid-sentence.

“Can’t you guys leave me alone now? I won’t try to escape!”

Another voice entered the mix.

“Is that a promise?”

Louis stepped quickly into the room and grinned enough to show his fangs. His cloak was damp around the shoulders and his boots were muddy. He toed them off and approached the bed where Harry had begun to blush a charming shade of rose.

Louis took in the bandage on his pet’s chest and raised an eyebrow at Liam.

“Really? You think we’d let him get hurt?” Liam scoffed. “It’s a tattoo.”

Louis looked puzzled for a moment. His deep-set eyes flicked to Zayn.

“I told you to _ready_ the supplies and _wait_ for me-”  

“Louis!” Harry interrupted, suddenly finding his voice, “I asked him to do it. I wanted a tattoo. It’s a surprise… for you…” he trailed off, biting his lip.

Louis’ face was unreadable. He glanced down at the bandage and then back at the boy’s green, seeking eyes.

“Well, sit up. Zayn still has to tattoo your neck.”

 

Louis watched from the hearth as Zayn finished rubbing the last of the ink into Harry’s second tattoo. This mark consisted of two slashes and a triquetra; the mark of Louis’ coven.

Harry sighed when Zayn finally moved away.

“I think I’m alright on tattoos for now.”

The hairs on the back of his neck prickled as Louis appeared over his shoulder, ghosting his fingers over the mark as Zayn brought over another piece of ointment-soaked cotton rag.

“Don’t bother,” Louis waved him away. “I’ll see to him. You may both leave us.”

“With pleasure,” Liam yawned from the doorway.

 

When the door latched shut, Louis rounded the bed and took off his belt. Harry, too nervous to do or say anything, merely watched.

“Do you hurt, love?” Louis asked, his voice much softer than before.

“It’s not bad.”

“Can I see the other tattoo?”

Louis nodded to his stomach and sat at the edge of the bed as he unbuttoned his shirt.

“Oh, um, yeah of course…”

Harry’s hands shook as he gingerly removed the bandage, exposing the raw skin and the intricate butterfly design. Louis hummed in appreciation.

“Zayn outdid himself, I see.”

“Yeah he’s incredible!”

If Louis flinched in annoyance that his pet’s admiration was directed toward someone else, Harry’s didn’t notice. Instead, he gave a dimpled smile and traced the edge of one wing with his forefinger, but froze when Louis caught his wrist.

Without speaking the vampire lowered his head and licked a fat strip over the tattoo.

Harry’s breath caught in his chest. It had tickled a little, but he was mostly surprised. When Louis’ warm tongue passed over his skin again, he felt blood rush to a region that he’d rather it didn’t.

Louis chuckled against his skin on the next pass and kissed the soft skin of the boy’s waist. Harry’s hips jumped just a little, and he blushed deeply.

“Hm, sensitive are we?” Louis mused.        

“Stop,” Harry whined softly.

Louis looked up at him with wide blue eyes, feigning innocence.

“Why? I’m just taking care of my pet. Look.”

Harry glanced down at his stomach and was amazed to find that the redness was entirely gone. His skin didn’t prickle and sting – all that was left was the beautiful ink. The questions at the tip of his tongue went unspoken as Louis pulled him swiftly into his lap. The vampire pressed his face into the nape of the boy’s neck and growled hungrily. Harry felt the urge to submit and tilted his neck just slightly to the side.

It was all the permission Louis needed – within seconds he had buried his fangs in boy’s neck.

Harry gasped sharply, not only from the bite but also from the unmistakable thickness in Louis’ pants.

Louis pulled away and licked the wound.

“Stop grinding down on me, pet,” he rumbled, “Unless you’re sure what you’re asking for.”

Harry ceased the movements he hadn’t noticed he’d begun and tried to calm himself as Louis’ skilled tongue worked the tattoo on his neck. When the licks became less functional and more sensual, Harry tried to pull away, afraid of his body’s reactions. Louis wasn’t having any of it: he held the boy’s hips down and bit lightly on his shoulder: not even hard enough to break the skin.

“Be good, Harold…”

“My name isn’t Harold, _Lewis_.”

Harry cringed as soon as the sentence left his lips.

“Pet,” Louis warned, voice full of malice, “What did you just say?”

Apparently Harry wasn’t meant to answer because Louis continued without waiting for a response.

“You seem to have already forgotten your place. Let me remind you: you _belong to me_ and _will respect me_. We are not on the same level, and you will not speak to me in such a way.”

Louis tugged him around roughly so that Harry was straddling his waist and meeting his eyes.

“Do you understand?”

Harry didn’t trust himself to answer without bursting out into tears, so he nodded quickly.

“Say it.”

“I-I understand,” Harry whimpered.

“Good. I won’t punish you this time, but if you disappoint me again I might.”

The warm flame of comfort and hope that Harry had been nurturing in his heart all day was quickly snuffed. He wanted nothing more than to retreat from this icy creature, but Louis’s hands were like iron bars on his thighs.

Louis’ piercing blue eyes looked the boy up and down. The poor thing was practically quaking with fright and trying to make himself as small as possible. A small smirk worked its way onto the vampire’s face – he relished the power he held over his beautiful human pet.

Louis hand his hands soothingly over Harry’s thighs, to let the boy know that he was forgiven.

“You have nothing to fear so long as you obey me, love.”

“…You’re the only thing I’m afraid of…” Harry whispered. Had Louis’ ears not been so attuned to Harry he might have missed it.

Louis chucked.

“Then never make me mad.”

He tucked his arms under the boy’s legs and stood. His weight felt like nothing. Harry naturally threw his arms around the vampire’s neck and looked around but said nothing.

Louis held him with one arm as he unlocked the door and took them into the darkened hallway.

“Are you curious where we’re going?” he asked. Harry could hear his smirk.

“I can’t possibly imagine.”

The sarcasm in his voice was not well-concealed.

“You’re walking a fine line, Harold…” Louis tsk-ed. “One would think you wanted to be punished.”

Harry tucked his face into Louis’ robes to avoid answering, because even he wasn’t sure of his answer. He was still half-hard from Louis’ ministrations on the bed and it could very well be that he wanted to get punished, if only to feel Louis’ touch again.

Breathing in deeply, Harry felt a wave of calm pass over him – Louis smelled addictively of rich spices and earth. And he liked feeling so small and light in his arms.

All too soon Harry heard the creak of an opening door and Louis took a few steps forward before putting him down.

“Wait here.”

It was hopelessly dark wherever they were, and Harry couldn’t see a thing, so he didn’t have much choice in the matter.

Several eerily silent moments passed before Harry cleared his throat and called out hesitantly to Louis. When he didn’t get a reply he began fearing that Louis had abandoned him here as punishment for being difficult. It was just the kind of arse trick Louis would probably enjoy.

Sighing in resignation he sat down on the floor with his knees up and his head on his arms. The stone floor was remarkably smooth, but cold on his bum. And his nose was cold; he sniffled.

“What are you doing on the floor? Get up.”

Harry turned to find Louis in the doorway, illuminated with the flames of two torches. Harry scrambled to his feet, willing himself not to show relief at the vampire’s reappearance. He wasn’t about to give him _that_ satisfaction.

“I had forgotten how poorly human eyes fare in the dark,” Louis grumbled, squinting against the brightness of the flames before handing one of the torches to Harry.

Louis strode forward and motioned for Harry to follow him.

With the torch Harry could now see that the stone floor was not stone at all but polished granite tile. And the room was immense – the light didn’t reach the walls or the ceiling, but it did illuminate row upon row of white marble pillars as they passed. Every step they took echoed sharply in the hollow chamber stretching out before them. It sent a chill through Harry’s body.

“You may come here when you like, as long as Zayn accompanies you,” Louis announced, finally coming to a halt. The rough timbre of his voice was haunting in resonance.

“…Where is here?”

Louis smiled back at him and took a few more steps forward. Harry could now see a piece of furniture before them, although he couldn’t recognize what it might be.

Louis ran his hand over the purple cloth that protected the piece; it had been the only prize worth keeping in the whole damn castle when he captured it. With a flourish he pulled away the cover and let it fall to the floor. He looked back at Harry expectantly; he knew that the boy would have never seen an instrument like this, but he liked watching his pet furrow his brows in confusion.  

“What is it? A table?”

Louis chuckled. “I like that you do not pretend to know what things are. When you are ignorant, you make it known.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Harry bristled, nearly forgetting that he shouldn’t do anything to rile the vampire.

He didn’t have to worry, though; Louis just laughed again, his eyes crinkling at the corners attractively and his white teeth flashing in the candlelight.

“I’m not insulting you, love. It’s not a table; it’s called a grand piano. It was made a century ago in Italia.”

Harry came up beside him and reached his hand out tentatively, looking to Louis for permission. When the vampire nodded he ran his fingers along the glass-smooth, dark wood. Louis reached down to lift the wooden lid that protected the keys. It slid effortlessly into the fallboard and revealed its ebony and ivory teeth.

“Try pressing on one.”

Harry gave him a suspicious look but touched the nearest key all the same, nearly jumping when it rang out with a soft, high-pitched sound as he depressed it.

Louis smiled to himself as Harry tried another key, and then another. The notes dropped heavily until he struck the last key on the right. It’s leaden sound reverberated in the hall.

Harry glanced back at Louis and backed away shyly.

“You make sounds with it?”

“Not just sounds, pet. Music. Here; hold this.”

Harry took the second torch as Louis lifted the piano’s lid and set it on its prop. He pulled out a bench from under the instrument’s lip and sat down. The stand was empty but he didn’t need any sheet music – several centuries of practice _does_ come with its benefits.

The keys he struck first were mid-range and soft. As he began to pair them with lower notes and add power to the composition, he could sense Harry’s awe deepening.

Harry stood just over the vampire’s shoulder, watching as his hands darted back and forth, skillfully picking out each precise key at a speed that was incredible to behold. The hollow vaults above them rang with the song– Harry might have covered his ears if the music wasn’t so mesmerizingly beautiful.

Louis slowed his pace and concentrated his efforts on the piano’s right side. The resulting vibrations thrummed in Harry’s chest, and he subconsciously raised his hand to his heart to feel them.

When Louis ended the song he held down on the final keys until the piano exhausted itself and fell silent.

Harry managed to compose himself – that meant closing his mouth – before Louis turned around.

“What did you think? It’s my favorite piece. A dirge, if you care to know.”

“I-I don’t even have the words,” Harry stuttered. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve heard.”

Praising a vampire, especially the one that kidnapped you, is a challenging thing to do. But Harry must have done an acceptable job at it, judging by the impish grin that spread over Louis’ face.

The smile faded quickly, though, as soon as Louis realized himself.

“Humans are easily entertained,” he muttered as he stood and closed the lid.

Harry stood back awkwardly until Louis finished pulling the protective cloth over the instrument.

“Come,” he demanded, passing Harry and grabbing back his torch. “We’re going back to your room.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Please excuse the glaring anachronisms. Somewhere a historian is sensing a disturbance in the Force... it's just me and my Larry smut.


	6. What I Want

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahoy! Copious and detailed smut ahead...

Louis locked Harry’s door behind them and instructed the boy to wait on his bed. Harry went obediently, biting his tongue to keep from questioning the reason behind the spontaneous musical interlude. It wasn’t like the vampire’s actions ever made sense to him anyway.

“Eleanor doesn’t appreciate music,” Louis explained, approaching the bed.

Well, maybe he’d get his answer after all. Sometimes it felt like Louis could read his mind. That wasn’t a vampire power, was it?

“I could see you were upset earlier. Music is soothing to humans, or so I’ve heard. And I suppose it’s nice to perform for an appreciative audience. Are you calm now, pet?”

Harry shrugged. The mere mention of Eleanor’s name made him feel prickly inside.

“I’m fine.”

“Good. Then I wish to bed you.”

Harry’s eyes nearly popped out of his head and he squirmed backward.

“You can’t, I – I’m not ready!”

The vampire stalked closer to him, a mischievous glint appearing in his eyes.

“You seemed to enjoy my kisses earlier. Or am I wrong?”

He looked down pointedly at Harry’s crotch where a slight bulge was beginning to form. Harry cursed himself internally and frowned back at the vampire.

“S’not the same as… as that. As going the whole way.”

“And when do you think you _would_ be ready, love?” Louis grinned down at him patronizingly. Harry wanted to tell him just where he would stick it if he was oh-so-ready, but he censored himself.

“I don’t know; maybe never,” he huffed.

“Such a child,” Louis chuckled as he stripped off his shirt, which was already partially unbuttoned from earlier. “I believe I’ve expressed my impatience to you before. I certainly am not patient enough for ‘never.’ ”

Harry gulped and tried to make himself as small as possible. He licked his pink lips subconsciously; he didn’t know it, but the little action made Louis’ eyes darken with lust.

Louis sat next to Harry as close as possible, caging him in with his arms. The dip in the mattress pulled them closer together, and Harry squeaked.

“Tell me, is your virginity intact?”

Harry wanted to die of embarrassment. It would be a kinder end than this.

“Um,” he stalled, looking everywhere except Louis’ face.

“It’s a simple question, sweetheart. Have you or have you not stuck it –”

“No! No,” Harry sighed, blushing furiously. He certainly didn’t need virginity spelled out by this arse. It was easier to just come out with the truth.

Louis, for his part, looked beyond pleased the moment Harry made his admission. He hummed as he smoothed back the curls from his pet’s face. He was so adorable when he pouted.

“All mine, then? Well, this is a treat. I’m going to make sure first, though.”

Harry’s eyebrows knit together.

“What do you mean, ‘make sure?’ ”

Before Harry could protest he felt a warm, heavy weight press down on his dick. He sucked in a sharp gasp and looked down to find Louis palming him through his pants.

Staring his pet down, Louis waited for a sign. He knew that it would be much more pleasurable for both of them if the human gave into his desires and let Louis ruin him willingly. Harry was attracted to him; that much he knew. Just how long did he plan on holding out, though? _That_ was the question.

Harry bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut. Little stars danced in front of his eyes as pleasure coursed through his body. Louis could feel him twitch and grow firm under his fingers. His boy was well-endowed.

Louis’ own cock had grown uncomfortably tight in his pants; he pressed down on himself with his other hand to relieve the pressure. Harry opened his eyes just in time to see him do it, and moaned in spite of himself.

“Do you want to see me, love?” Louis husked. “So big for you. Fill you up so well.”

Harry gave a small pant as perspiration appeared on his forehead. It took all of his self-restraint to keep from responding in the affirmative.

“You’re burning up,” Louis observed, and moved his hands under Harry’s shirt to lift it over the boy’s head. When the piece of clothing had been thrown aside with no resistance from Harry, Louis kissed him gently across the chest and resumed stroking his member. Harry’s little sigh of relief was not lost on him.

“Do you like this? Has anyone ever touched you like this?”

Harry shook his head. He bucked his hips up a little and whined, eyes glazed with desire.

“Use your words, love.”

“N-no,” Harry rasped obediently. “Only you.”

“Good.”

Louis rewarded him with more pressure, and faster strokes.

Harry, looking even more tortured than before, stopped fisting the blankets beside him and reached out tentatively toward Louis. The vampire grinned and grabbed his boy’s hips, pulling him forward until he was lying down flush against the mattress, and then quickly straddled him.

“Such a sight…” Louis purred, watching as Harry slowly unraveled beneath him. “Makes me wonder what part of you I should devour first.”

“Louiiiiis,” Harry whined. “Hurts.”

“What hurts, sweetheart? You cock? So full of come for me? What do you want me to do?”

“You’re so mean,” Harry grunted, earning a chuckle from his captor.

Not another second went by before Harry surprised both of them by shimming out from underneath Louis while his hands flew to the buttons on the vampire’s pants.

Louis would have said something sardonic about his human’s sudden enthusiasm except that Harry was already mouthing filthily over the bulge in his briefs; a thin strip of cotton the only thing separating his throbbing cock from the boy’s hot tongue.

“Fuck, Harry, fuck,” Louis groaned, arching forward as Harry kissed and licked the spreading wet patch at front of his briefs.

Harry looked up into Louis’ eyes mid-lick and the vampire could tell that the boy was absolutely gone. His pupils were blown wide; only a thin rim of green was visible. Louis thought he’d never seen something so beautiful and tempting in all of his years.

“ _You’re mine_ ,” he growled as he twisted his fingers into Harry’s curls and pushed him back down.

Harry didn’t protest: he tucked his fingers under Louis’ waistband and began trying to tug down his pants as he rolled his tongue over the head of Louis’ cock. He could taste the saltiness of his precum through the fabric, and it made him even more desperate to gain access.

He didn’t want to think:

He just wanted to feel.

And when he glanced up again to see Louis staring at him with those piercing blue eyes, mouth slightly open, chestnut hair spiked with sweat, he forgot why he had been holding back in the first place.

Louis enjoyed watching his pet struggle with his pants for a moment before lifting his hips and helping them down. His thick cock sprung out, inches from Harry’s face, and damned if the boy didn’t receive it happily with a little kitten lick on the head.

“What you do to me, pet,” Louis gritted out.

Harry might have never sucked cock before, but what was there to know? He took the thick base in his hand and stroked it a few times, like he might for himself, and then closed his mouth over the rest, sucking gently.

As soon as Louis was encased in the warm wetness of his pet’s mouth he let out a groan of appreciation and became quickly absorbed in watching Harry experimentally bob up and down on his length.

It didn’t take long for Harry to find a rhythm, and once he did he got a little bolder and decided to try and swallow deeper. It wasn’t a great idea for his first blowjob – Louis’ dick was no place for amateurs – and he felt his eyes begin to water before a lurching gag reflex had him pulling off entirely.

He coughed and wiped the spit from his lips, looking up at Louis apologetically, but Louis didn’t make fun of him like he thought he might. In fact, the vampire seemed to be intensely contemplating his prisoner; his mouth set in a hard line. Harry might have been alarmed except for the fact that Louis was completely gentle as he set his hands on Harry’s waist and told him to lay on his back again.

Harry did so nervously, suddenly and inexplicably shy again, even after the ardent face-fucking. Louis seemed to notice this and came out of his trance. He allowed a half-smile to grace his lips. It was almost what someone might call a “fond” look. Harry nearly melted on the spot.

“You did so well, love. So beautiful for me,” he cooed, running his ran over the butterfly tattoo that rose and fell with Harry’s every shaking breath.

Harry preened at the praise. He couldn’t take his eyes from that smile; it was the first hint of unguarded kindness he had received from Louis, and somehow it gave Harry hope that his life was still salvageable.  

“Can I, can we… um, I want to kiss you, like properly,” Harry mumbled slowly, looking away.

Louis looked momentarily surprised.

“Harold, I must say that you send some mixed messages,” he snickered, but leaned down until he was bracing his arms on either side of the boy’s head, effectively trapping him.

“I know,” Harry gulped. “I don’t understand myself, either. I just want to kiss you.”

“I can’t promise I won’t nip you,” Louis warned.

“S’fine,” Harry smiled, dimples peeking out on his cheeks.

Their lips slotted perfectly together. Harry felt all of his senses catch flame at once, and his head felt likely to float away. Louis deepened the kiss, running his tongue along Harry’s bottom lip, asking permission. Harry opened just a little and suddenly Louis was invading his mouth, dominating his tongue, tasting everywhere. Harry’s hands found Louis’ hair and began to card through it roughly while Louis dipped his hips and began grinding down on the boy. Harry gasped and whimpered at the sensation, running his hands down Louis’ toned back and scraping lightly as he went.

“Please, more. More, more,” he chanted.

Louis gave him one more vicious kiss before grabbing the hem of Harry’s pants and yanking them down. He tore the meddlesome clothing from his pet’s ankles and then sat back to take a look at him.

Harry’s cock was full and twitching against his stomach, with a sticky line of precum dripping from the head. His toned body wiggled restlessly against the mattress, and his curls were plastered back with sweat.

Settling between his legs, Louis wordlessly held two of his fingers in front of Harry’s mouth. Harry got the message and sucked messily on the digits, twisting his tongue around them until they were slick.

“Fuck,” Louis groaned, adding a third finger to Harry’s mouth because he could. “You’re quite skilled at feigning innocence, my little demon. I’m not sure I believe that you’re a virgin after all.”

He pulled his fingers from Harry’s mouth and immediately pressed the first one to the boy’s hole. Harry tried to pull away but Louis held down on his hip firmly and flashed him a look of warning. He nudged the first finger past the initial ring of muscles, watching while Harry bit down on his lip until it started to bleed.

“Relax, love,” he advised once he was buried to the knuckle.

“Feels weird,” Harry choked. “I don’t like it.”

“Give it a moment. I’m going to add another.”

When Harry didn’t protest Louis slowly added his middle finger, causing the poor boy to wince at the stretch.

Slowly he scissored his pet, knowing that if they could get past this part he’d be able to reward his good boy. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to Harry’s lips, eagerly licking up the spot of blood, before forcing his two fingers in as far as they would go.

Harry held in a shout but his eyes stung with sudden tears. He tangled his hands in Louis’ hair and kissed him carelessly to distract himself from the pain. It was a moment before he realized that Louis was whispering soft praises into his ear.

“…Look so lovely, the most beautiful boy I’ve ever seen. You’ll feel so good in a minute, love, trust me…”

And bizarrely enough, Harry decided that did trust him.

He let his body loosen, and even enjoyed feeling the fullness of being stuffed with Louis’ fingers.

When he could, Louis curled his fingers until he hit that little bump that sent a jolt of lightning through the boy beneath him.

“Ah!”

Louis rubbed slow circles on the bundle of nerves, watching darkly as Harry began to sink himself on his fingers to intensify the feeling.

“Fuuuuuuuuck,” Harry groaned out as a third finger was inserted.

Louis’ patience was wearing thin. He own neglected cock twitched in his lap. He pulled his fingers out of the tight heat, smirking at Harry’s whine, and used the dribbling pool of Harry’s own cum to slick up his dick. He lifted the boy’s legs just slightly and aligned himself.

The feeling was nothing short of incredible. Harry was so tight, squeezing him perfectly as he entered him fully. The noises he made, a mix between pleasured and pained, made him sweat with want.

Having bottomed out, Louis breathed deeply and waited for Harry to adjust to his girth. He kept his eyes glues to Harry’s, and when the boy gave a faint nod he drew back slightly before shoving back in.

Harry threw his head back into the pillows and gasped.

Goddammit, his boy was perfect.

“Fuck, love, you’re mine, aren’t you?” Louis grunted, overcome with possessiveness.

When the boy didn’t answer, Louis changed his angle slightly and Harry keened as he struck his prostate dead-on. He grabbed the boy’s dick and stroked it roughly.

“Answer me, Harry,” he demanded. “Who do you belong to?”

“Ack, I belong… ah, ah, I belong to you,” the boy responded dazedly as Louis fucked him up the bed.

“That’s right,” the vampire growled.

Harry squeezed his eyes shut.

“So close, f-fuck I’m going to come, Louis! Louis!”

“…Come.”

Louis punctuated the word with a deep thrust.

Harry lost himself, seeing only black and white sparks before his eyes as he shot all over his stomach, coating his butterfly. When his vision came back he watched, lightheaded, as Louis continued to thrust into him violently, beginning to lose his rhythm.

Harry’s blissed out stare was too much. Louis buried himself as deeply in the boy as he could when he came, his cock pulsing with wave after wave of cum.

Harry could feel himself being filled. He absently ran his hand over his stomach.

Louis licked his dry lips and pulled out as gently as he could, proud to see that Harry’s hole looking so used. He dropped himself onto the boy’s chest, mixing their cum and sweat.

Harry curled his arms loosely over Louis’ back as the vampire pressed soft kisses to his jaw.

 

They fell asleep like that. At some point Louis woke up and went to fetch a dampened cloth. He wiped Harry down gently, and the boy didn’t even wake up. He was breathing deeply and peacefully in his halo of curls, even as bruises bloomed on his hips where Louis’ grip had been too tight.

The vampire silently dressed himself, tended to the fire so that it would keep for the rest of the night, and left the boy to sleep.

He was beginning to wonder who owned who.


	7. Follow

Louis arrived at Harry’s village a little before dawn. He was quite impressed at the little human for making the trek alone. He’d known approximately how far his pet had traveled before reaching him (having occasionally used their blood-bond to gauge his whereabouts over the years and knowing this village to be his home) but traveling the path himself gave him a newfound appreciation for Harry’s endurance.

Louis’ heart pounded with anticipation as he passed through the town gate and began approximating the number of witless humans sleeping in their homes. They could feed his coven for at least several years… But he stopped himself from pursuing this train of thought. He was not here to hunt; he was here to fulfill his promise to his pet.

He breathed deeply as he skulked the streets between the cottages, trying to catch the blood scent of Harry’s family. When he finally did pick it up – a sweet, summery smell, like a rosa rugosa in bloom – he took a good look at the house.

His pet had been living _here_? He scoffed. The thatched roof was molding and the sod walls had been inexpertly and hastily erected. He should have come for Harry sooner and saved him from both from his long trek _and_ this unfortunate specimen of a house.

Louis grunted as he noted the garlic cloves hung above the door. The offensive vegetable could repel vampires no better than a rank perfume repels someone with a sensitive nose. Still, he heard that humans favored the item as an ingredient in their food; perhaps Niall could cook something with them that Harry would eat.

Louis was just about to reach up and unhook the cloves when he caught a new scent riding in on the wind: slightly metallic, bitter, antagonistic; he frowned and darted out of the road, scaling the wall of a neighboring cottage without hesitation. He hid himself in the shadow of the chimney just a three figures in mauve traveling coats arrived at the town gate.

There could be no doubt that they were vampires, but Louis did not recognize their particular scent. They could be rogues; starved enough to wander into a town like this and grab the first unlucky soul who unlocked his door, but it seemed unlikely. Vampires were notoriously territorial, and it would take a true fool to trespass and hunt within the borders of a powerful coven’s land. There wasn’t a vampire on the isle who was ignorant of Louis’ strength.

Louis growled in his throat as he watched the three wend their way into town. Their mere presence was an insult. Maybe the other covens were hoping he’d gone soft, and were sending out small parties like this to test him.

His eyes flashed red.

Well, as they were soon to discover, there were no weaknesses in _him_.

 

Over the next ten minutes Louis watched intently as the vampires made a survey of the town. Dawn was coming, so they would be forced into some kind of action soon. It was lucky (albeit disgusting) that Louis hadn’t bathed after taking Harry – the scent of the human masked his almost entirely.

Below him came the unmistakable thud and creak of a door being unlocked and swung open. Louis groaned inwardly as a man stepped out of Harry’s cottage and stretched. Every breath he took frosted over in a cold puff. Louis recognized the human immediately: Harry’s father. But was it really the same man? His hair was no longer curly and full like his son’s, but thin and peppered. His skin sagged and gave him jowls where his jawline had been square before. Even with the furs and leather that covered him the vampire could guess how weak his body was.

Louis glanced back up to see what the vampires were doing. They had paused and were listening intently to Harry’s father drawing water from a nearby well. One of them lifted their nose to sniff him.

“Fuck off…” Louis muttered.

He had made his pet a promise to protect his family, and he would keep it, even though he’d rather spy on the intruders than fight them.

Fortunately for all parties involved, Louis did not have to reveal himself. The vampires continued hastily through the streets, out through the back gate, and into the woods.

Louis acted quickly. He dropped from the rooftop and landed lightly on the yellowed grass, eyes glued to the older Style’s back as the man began lowering a second bucket into the well.

The door to the cottage was still slightly ajar, so Louis slipped silently inside and followed his nose to Harry’s old room. He gently toed the door shut and locked it behind him, then surveyed the space quickly before snapping open the boy’s footlocker and pulling what looked to be a large, black marble from his coat pocket. He placed the glass orb at the bottom of the chest, tucked inside a pair of too-small moccasins.

Louis tried to breathe as lightly as possible. The scent of his human clung to every surface, and Louis felt his dick thickening in his pants like some sort of _animal_ at the mere smell of the boy.

He locked the chest and went to slide open the window for his escape, only to realize that they were barred closed. Louis rolled his eyes and gently reopened Harry’s door, happy to see that the path was still clear to the front entrance.

He’d only taken one step into the hall when the door was nudged open and Harry’s father entered with a full bucket in each hand. Fortunately his attention was on the sloshing water and he turned toward the kitchen without sparing a glance at the hall.

Louis turned quickly and darted into another, slightly larger room. This was certainly the parent’s bedroom – four-poster bed a relic of more prosperous times, with a small bureau and wash basin for Harry’s mother and – by great fortune – an unbarred window. Louis darted forward and had his foot on the sill when he heard a nearly inaudible gasp, although it sounded like a shout to him.

He whipped around to see an older female sitting in the corner of the room, knitting forgotten on her lap, hands over her mouth. Her eyes were wide with shock and fear, and although usually it would have instilled a sense of glee in Louis, today he was nearly as unnerved as she.

The woman took in Louis’ ethereal blue eyes and his smooth, ivory complexion. As realization dawned on her she opened her mouth to speak, but Louis was already out of the window, leaving no trace but fluttering curtains and frigid air.

 

Louis cursed himself as he ran through the woods as quickly as he dared, trying not to overshoot the rogues if they’d slowed their pace. Not only had he allowed himself to be spotted, he’d also taken so long that he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to find those three damned vampires at all. The only thing he had on his side was the season – with the foliage mostly dead and fallen his field of view was multiplied.

“Shit,” he muttered as a crow squawked at him in alarm as he passed. He was still going fast enough to compromise stealth for speed, apparently. It wasn’t the way he liked to conduct his pursuits, this “tracking” business; usually his prey’s location was no mystery to him.

Just as he began to grow concerned that he had, in fact, lost the trail, Louis caught their scent again. It was strong and channeled – they had passed through not more than a minute ago.

Adjusting his route accordingly, Louis reduced himself to more natural speed and wiped a barely-formed bead of sweat from his perfect brow.

 

He found them huddled at the thick base of an old oak tree, masked almost entirely in the thicket. He stalked as close as he could without giving himself away, which meant that a fair forty yards still separated them. Even his excellent ears could not compensate for that distance, nor catch their whispers from the wind. He gritted his teeth in annoyance and settled for watching them.

 Now that he was focused he could sort out their smells. Two were different from any vampires he’d met before, but the third was strangely familiar. It niggled the back of his mind whenever he breathed in, and the strangest misery bloomed in his chest.

The third spun around so quickly that the hood from her traveling coat slipped from her walnut hair.

Louis didn’t flinch: he knew that she couldn’t see him, so when his eyes widened it was not due to fear of being seen.

She pulled her hood up again as her sharp eyes scanned the forest, but, seeing nothing, returned to her companions.

Louis controlled himself. He would not burst in on them and demand to know what his wife was doing with these outsiders, he would not haul her back to the castle and demand answers.

He clenched and unclenched his fists, eyes darkening dangerously.

_The sheer gall_ -!

He forced his eyes from their circle and retrained them quickly on the sparse, browning canopy above his head before his temper could overpower his mind.

The dried leaves rustled softly, and one or two would let loose and float down with every gust of wind. But there was one leaf that stuck out boldly from the rest, and it had not conceded to die so easily. It clung tightly to its twig, still olive-green and shining with vivre.  

Louis couldn’t take his eyes from it, such a curiosity was it to him.

… _His_ eyes were green like this.

 

When Louis looked back down, the vampires were gone. He caught the briefest glimpse of one of their coats in the distance: they were headed in the direction of the castle.

Louis tsked and stood. Who could know the fastest route to the castle but its lord?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly shorter chapter, ramping up. :) Thank you for all of the kind comments - it really lights a fire in me. :) And as always, thank you for reading.


	8. Games

“Nearly got it. But it hasn’t got a ‘t’ at the end. Try again.”

Harry squinted at the paper and read the sentence again, trying to have it make sense.

“Oh. It’s ‘though,’ isn’t it?”

“Yup.”

Zayn picked at a burn mark on the rug. They were seated in front of the fireplace and it had been spitting embers at them all morning.

“ ‘Don’t let him… leave the room… though,’ ” Harry read aloud. “Hm. Bossy bastard, isn’t he?”

“ _Please_ ,” Zayn scoffed, rolling his eyes. “You can’t fool me. It reeked of sex in here when I came in. And you woke up with this dopey smile on your face” -Zayn fluttered his eyelashes for effect- “ and said, ‘ _Loooouis_?”

Zayn barely got the last syllable out before Harry was tackling him backwards, tickling him mercilessly.

“You’re a terrible friend!” Harry laughed, shrieking when Zayn turned the tables and grabbed his feet to tickle.

“Who says we’re friends?” Zayn smirked, chucking at the ridiculously loud barks of laughter issuing from the taller boy.

Louis’ note lay forgotten between them when the door slammed open. Both boys froze and looked up in alarm. Louis stormed into the room with Liam hot on his heels.

“Take Zayn back to your chambers… But don’t act like anything is out-of-the-ordinary. I’ve got to figure out what to do with Harry.”

“You don’t think she’s going to do anything to _him_ , do you? She’s only seen him once…”

“You don’t know Eleanor like I do. She was jealous when she saw him… But I’m not sure why. I don’t know what she’s up to, but nothing about this situation sits right with me.”

“Be careful, then,” Liam said, beckoning to Zayn. “I’ll be on guard.”

As soon as the two of them left, Louis rubbed the scruff on his chin thoughtfully. When he turned to look at Harry he took pity on the boy who was still planted on the floor with his brow creased in worry. He gave him a tilted smile.

“Come here, love.”

Harry went to him quickly, and Louis wrapped his arms around his little pet, nuzzling his hair and breathing in his scent.

“I’m sorry that I wasn’t here when you woke up.”

“ ‘S fine.”

Harry’s voice was muffled and small against Louis’ chest. The vampire had to choke down the sudden urge to claim what was his again. Priorities. If Eleanor was headed to the castle, she would be there shortly.

Still, he allowed himself give Harry’s bum a quick smack.

“Ouch,” Harry jumped, looking up at him with a beautiful pout. “ ‘M still sore because of you…”

Louis licked his lips. His eyes were intense with memories of the previous night. Harry blushed at the mere sight of him and hid behind his curls, smiling shyly.

“…What’s going on, though?” the boy mumbled. “Why is Liam on guard?”

Louis shook himself from his reveries and sighed.

“ _Right_. It seems as though my lovely wife has been associating with vampires outside of our coven without my knowledge. I couldn’t begin to guess her game, so I’m going to try and figure her out when she comes back to the castle. In the meantime, I’m going to keep you with me.”

Harry was about to follow up with additional questions but Louis had already moved on.

“I don’t want you out of my sight until things are… sorted. Liam’s company is acceptable if I have to leave. Do you understand?”

“Yes, but-”

“Good. Then follow me, quickly.”

 

Harry was panting at they descended the third flight of stairs. He had never been a particularly graceful creature; more akin to a baby deer than anything else, so it was no surprise when his foot caught on the last step and sent him tumbling forward.

Louis whirled around and was there to catch him, of course, and lifted him into his arms. Harry squirmed indignantly for a moment but was soon gripping to the vampire’s chest for dear life as they sped down a long corridor.

The room they entered was another hall: not as large at the hall where Louis’ piano was kept, but certainly sizeable and lavishly furnished. Intricate tapestries and elaborate furniture lined the walls, all leading to a throne that glittered with cloisonné.

Harry couldn’t help but squint when the hall turned out to be quite well lit. Natural light fed the glow of several stained glass windows, and five gargantuan chandeliers flickered overhead.

It was only when Louis reached the throne and sat, perching Harry on his lap, that the boy noticed they were not alone. Liam was stood to their right. He winked at Harry and flashed him a reassuring smile.

Louis clasped his hands around Harry’s middle and glanced at Liam.

“When you said you’d be ‘on guard’ I didn’t actually think you meant to guard me.”

“Just in case, yeah?”

“…Yeah.”

Louis flashed him a smile. He wasn’t the type to ask anyone for help, but Liam knew that and always accounted for it. He had become adept at anticipating his friend’s needs. Although Louis always knew what was best for the coven, he occasionally forgot what was best for himself. Liam privately speculated that he had something of a martyr complex… At least it would explain some of the troubles in Louis’ life, including the one at present.

 

Harry got increasingly nervous as the silent moments crept on. Louis, sensing his distress, rubbed soft circles on his thigh.

“Would you rather Liam take you to another room, love?”

Harry shook his head and the room fell silent again for a while.

 

When Eleanor arrived, she was alone. She entered so swiftly that Harry jumped a bit in Louis’ lap when he noticed her approaching them.

Her traveling cloak was gone in favor of a stunning, violet dress. It hugged her thin frame perfectly. Harry internally marveled at the cascades of dark hair that fell around her shoulders. He glanced back at Louis to gauge his reaction, but the vampire’s face was completely impassive.

Eleanor looked from her husband to his pet, and laughed softly.

“Oh dear, aren’t you two adorable? See, Louis, I knew you’d benefit from a human pet. Although he’s a bit plainer than I remembered… must have been a trick of the candlelight.” She smiled at Harry unkindly. “You can always get another if he doesn’t satisfy you.”

Liam had been staring at Eleanor, completely stone-faced, until that bold statement. He looked at Louis in time to see his jaw twitch.

“You’re late,” Louis commented, ignoring everything that came before.

“I know, I’m so sorry my love, I got so caught up with friends that I completely lost track of time. We went on a few excellent hunts and –”

“Never mind that,” Louis interrupted sharply. “Do you think it reflects well on me when I don’t know where my own wife is?”

“I told you I was going to Readforshire,” Eleanor soothed, smiling pleasantly. “As I said, I was enjoying good company and lost track of-”

“Time, yes,” Louis finished. “And quite a bit of it as well.”

Harry fidgeted in Louis’ lap, caught unhappily between two icy glares. He couldn’t help himself, and turned into Louis’ shoulder, squeezing his eyes shut. He half-wished Louis had just left him in his room.

Eleanor took Harry’s discomfort as an opportunity to change the subject.

“I’m surprised you even noticed I was gone while you were playing with… that,” she gestured toward Harry. “Honestly, why is he even with you now? _Toys_ should be left in the _playroom_.”

Harry blushed heavily but Louis didn’t falter.

“Were you counting on a distraction, then?” he countered smugly.

The little smile on Eleanor’s lips dipped into a frown.

“…Are you suggesting something, _my lord_?”

“Me? Not at all.”

Louis patted Harry’s hip as a sign that he should stand, which the boy did.

“Well, I’ve stayed awake long enough to see you home, and I now know that you were in Readfordshire the whole time, and that I was a fool to concern myself over it.”

He scooped Harry into his arms and placed a chaste kiss on the boy’s cheek.

“Now I believe I will retire to my chambers. You know how the saying goes, don’t you? Two’s company…” Louis trailed off and shrugged nonchalantly.

Eleanor narrowed her eyes at him but said nothing.

“Oh, and Liam, would you fetch Niall? Harry’s hungry.”

He leaned in closer to the boy’s ear as he carried him away.

“And so am I.”

 

Louis dropped Harry onto his bed with a chuckle.

“You look positively scandalized, love.”

“I am!” Harry squawked. “What the hell is going on?”

“Well, currently, I’m considering fucking you into the mattress. But if you’re referring to my exchange with Eleanor, then I still don’t quite know myself. I saw her when I was checking in on your family this morning and –”

“You went to see them?”

“Yes. As promised.”

Harry smiled cautiously.

“They’re OK, then?”

“They’re fine. In fact, that reminds me, here: for your peace of mind.”

Louis put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a glass ball like the one he had hidden in Harry’s old room. He placed it in the boy’s outstretched hands and Harry brought it up to eye level, delicately rolling it between his palms. The surface was smooth and cool, and the core was a lovely robin’s egg blue.

“It’s a simple charm called a roaming eye, and its twin is currently hidden in your family’s house. Take a closer look.”

Harry squinted into the glass ball and was surprised to see a tiny, slightly-warped image of his parent’s room. The image bobbed around a bit and was blurry at the corners, but he could clearly make out his mother brushing her hair by the window. Suddenly the scene changed, and he was in the kitchen. The fire was going. The scene changed again, and he was on the ground level of what appeared to be his own bedroom floor…

Louis smiled at Harry’s look of confusion.

“It’s called a roaming eye because the spirit of the charm flies wherever it wants to within a certain area. You might even find that it gives you glances of the outside from time-to-time. The spirit can’t go very far from the physical charm, though. That’s why it’s good for keeping tabs on a certain location.”

“That’s amazing…”

“I suppose. Despite its inherent flaws.”

Harry gave him a prompting nod.

“Well, it works both ways. If someone where to find the charm in your parent’s house, they could look into it and see what we were doing here.”

“Oh. That’s bad.”

“Potentially. But it saves me from traveling so frequently, however. I’ll take the risk.”

Harry stuck the charm into his pocket and paused for a moment to take in their surroundings. Louis had indeed taken them back to his room, not Harry’s. It was roughly the same design but the bed was larger and the furnishings more lavish.

“Why did you take me here? Instead of my room, I mean.”

“I told you I was going to keep an eye on you. And now I have a reason to keep Eleanor out of our room.”

“Won’t that just make her mad?”

“ _Yes_ ,” Louis grinned wickedly.

Harry frowned down at the bed. Even though Louis was clearly mad at his wife, she was still _his wife_. And they had made love in this bed. And she knew more about Louis than he ever would. Harry would grow older and Louis would lose interest in him and go back to her. Like every vampire, she would stay eternally young and beautiful.

Harry knew he was being crazy to think this way, because he shouldn’t even _want_ Louis’ affection’s – this monster’s affections – but he did. And his chest ached every time he thought about Louis abandoning him.

It was just as Eleanor said. He was nothing but a toy. When had he ever begun to think anything different?

“Bite me,” he said softly.

“What, dove?”

Louis leaned in and rested his hand on Harry’s thigh.

“I want you to drink from me.”

He looked up steadily into the vampire’s eyes, which were darkening by the second. They sparkled as Louis glanced down at the boy’s neck.

At least there was one thing he could give Louis that _she_ couldn’t.

Louis ran his cool finger’s over Harry’s collarbone.

“I’m very thirsty, love…” Louis murmured. “I was going to drink before I came back to the castle, but with everything that’s been going on I neglected myself… Let me go to the vaults and drink some of our stock first. I might drain you otherwise.”

“If you don’t want to drink from me, then I’ll let Liam or someone else do it.”

Harry turned away indignantly, fighting back a little grin as he sensed Louis go stiff behind him.

Louis’ eyes flashed crimson. He gripped the boy’s hips tightly.

“Never say that to me again,” he said, voice dangerously calm.

Harry merely flashed him a look over his shoulder.

“ _PET_.”

Harry did his best to hide his flinch. Still, it was worth it; Louis was almost there.

A knock at the door caused Louis to growl low in his throat. He flew to the door in a flash and yanked it open to reveal a surprised-looking man with blonde hair and his fist still hanging in the air.  

“What?” Louis hissed.

“Sheesh! Pleasant, aren’t ye? And here ye were asking for me! I brought food for your human, there,” the man gestured to Harry and lifted the tray he held in his opposite hand.

It looked like Louis was still trying to process things as the blonde man swept past him and approached Harry, still sat on the bed.

“Hello, love!”

The man had a thick Irish accent, and Harry guessed this must be Niall.

“Hi,” Harry murmured.  

“Aw, he’s an adorable little ting, in’he?” Niall fawned. “Was I this cute when ye turned me?”

“Niall,” Louis said lowly.

“Where’d ye find him, eh? Oh, this was the one ye claimed years back, innit?”

“Niall.”

“Are ye hungry, little one? I made a few sandwiches, and you can pick which you like. I tell ye, it’s hard to love food as much as I did and then go to only drinking blood. I get hungry looking at it, but when I take a bite, it doesn’t taste like anything! Strange, innit?”

Harry had taken a sandwich from the plate and was munching on it while he entertained Niall’s monologue. He kept glancing over the vampire’s shoulder at Louis, who was still standing by the door and radiating the darkest of auras.

“-that’s what me mum used to say, anyway! Back when -”

“NIALL.”

Niall whipped around to face Louis, who was crossing his arms tightly.

“Do me a favor?”

A look of recognition passed over Niall’s face and his eyebrows shot up comically.

 “Oh, oh!  Right, mate, right!” he mumbled as he hastened toward the door. “Lovely to meet you, Harreh, hope to –”

Louis slammed the door shut as soon as Niall’s bum crossed the threshold. It was completely silent again; Harry swallowed his last bite of food thickly. Louis watched him with icy eyes as the boy carefully set the tray of sandwiches on the bedside table and then sat back against the pillows.

A few minutes passed and Harry was about to burst and ask Louis why he was being so quiet when he felt a heavy weight on his body pushing him into the blankets. Louis was hovering over him, legs prying his thighs open.

“Would you let Niall drink you, too?” he growled into Harry’s ear, giving it a hard nip. “Such a slutty little human, offering yourself like that. And in front of _me_.”

“Wouldn’t have let them…” Harry whispered in defense.

“No? Then why say it?”

Louis looked absolutely livid – his mouth was pursed in a thin line as he forced Harry’s hands above his head.

“Because I’m not yours.”

If Louis had been in the mood to listen he would have heard the edge of regret to the answer. But he wasn’t, and before he could stop himself he had his fangs buried deeply in Harry’s neck. The boy gasped and weakened below him, having only the strength to put hands on Louis’ shoulders. In fact, his movements were so fragile that it was almost impossible to tell if he was pulling on him or pushing him away.

Louis sucked deeply and washed his tongue over the bite marks, earning a moan from Harry. God was he sweet. Louis felt more refreshed with every gulp.

_No one but me can have him_ , he thought.

Harry shuddered as Louis continued draining him. His eyes were shut and his mouth was partially open. He felt euphoric and knew it was from blood loss, but it was also because Louis was surrounding him from every angle. The vampire probably didn’t even know it, but he was rubbing little circles on Harry’s cheek with the pad of his thumb, and Harry reveled in the intimacy of the small action.

_Just a pet; you’ll be replaced; you’re not Eleanor_ … Harry felt a hot tear run down his cheek. _What the hell are you doing?_

Thankfully, the thoughts began to sink away as Louis continued to feed and Harry’s mind grew muddier and muddier. He thought he was drifting to sleep; he was so warm and comfortable that he really wouldn’t mind if he did. Just for a few minutes...

A sharp noise attacked his ears but he didn’t open his eyes. It was probably his father yelling for him to wake up and do his chores, but he just wanted to sleep for a little longer.

The noise was persistent, and now it was accompanied by pressure on his limbs. Was he being attacked in his own bed?

Harry’s eyes rolled forward and back into focus. He heaved a startled breath and gripped onto the sleeves of Louis’ shirt tightly.

“W-who…?” he stammered in confusion.

“I’m here, love, I’m so sorry, wake up, OK? Are you awake? Do you know who I am?”

Harry stared at him for a few seconds. Louis bit his lip and Harry caught sight of one blood-covered fang.

“…Louis…”

“Right, love, right…”

The vampire’s eyes softened and a small smile appeared on his lips.

“Dammit, sweetheart… Why did goad me on like that? I can’t think when I’m thirsty like that. Fuck, I could have hurt you. I could have killed you.”

“But you didn’t,” Harry smiled weakly.

“Doesn’t matter. I should be able to control myself better than that.”

“…Don’t, just don’t drink from anyone else. I – please?”

“I have to, Harry, or I’ll do this to you again.”

“Then do it. I won’t be around long anyway.”

Louis furrowed his eyebrows and stroked the curls away from his boy’s face. The puncture marks in his neck were still bleeding, so he leaned in gently to lick them. They sealed themselves almost instantly at his touch.

“It’s not wise to tell your captor that you’re going to try and escape.”

“That’s not what I meant. I’m not going to try. You’ll make me go. You’ll realize I’m not worth it.”

Harry felt increasingly pathetic as his voice caught in his throat and more hot tears stung his eyes.

“You _want_ to stay with me?”

Harry pressed his hands against his face in a frustrated attempt to bring his emotions under control.

“ _No_ …. I… I don’t know,” he groaned.

Louis pulled his hands down gently and placed a soft kiss on Harry’s mouth, quickly chasing it with a second and then a third. They pulled away to look at each other briefly before Louis sunk down again, demanding entrance with a nip to Harry’s lip. He ground down once on the boy, earning a wanton whimper that spurred them both on. Harry arched his hips up to meet Louis’ and could feel the hard thickness of his cock against his leg. Louis grunted at the contact and reached his hand under Harry’s shirt to tweak his nipple.

“Louis-!” Harry squeaked and dropped his hips, which gave the vampire a chance to scoot them both under the blankets.

With his pet snuggled beneath him and breathing warmly against his cheek, Louis smiled at his position and set to work. He palmed Harry’s semi until it was straining against his pants and twitching rapidly but refused to kiss the boy whenever he lifted his head to do so.

“Ach, Louis, please s-stop _teasing_ …”

“Teasing? What, like this?”

Louis tucked his hand into Harry’s pants and brought his middle finger to the boy’s arsehole. He circled it a few times before nudging at the entrance. He was pleased to find that Harry was still stretched from the other night. …And probably still full of his cum.

The thought gave Louis a wicked idea and he pushed his finger in further. Harry moaned and clutched at his shirt, then brought his legs up to wrap around Louis’ hips.

“Yessss…” he sighed as Louis began to finger fuck him.

Just as Louis thought, the boy was still holding his cum. Each plunge of his finger forced out a little dribble, and soon the boy’s bum was slick with it.

Louis yanked down the boy’s pants and kicked his off as well. He gave his cock a few strokes and lined up with the twitching hole.

“Tell me you want it, baby,” he demanded, voice rough with desire.

“I… Please give it to me, _I want it_.”

Louis pushed in as gently as he could, although it was clear that Harry was still incredibly tender from the other night as his hissed in pain with each additional inch that filled him. Fresh tears wet his cheeks.

“Shh, love, it’s OK, I’ll go slowly… You’re tired, yeah? I’ll take care of you. Make you feel good.”

He stoked Harry’s cock in time with his own tentative thrusts and peppered the boy’s chest with kisses.

When his cock was fully sheathed, they both let out a breath. Harry adjusted minutely and looked down to see where the base of the vampire’s cock disappeared into his body. He shivered at the size of the thing. Louis was staring at him intensely, wound like a spring.

Harry leveraged his feet to push himself back just enough to feel Louis slipping out of him. When he pulled himself back onto the vampire’s cock, he threw his head back in pleasure.

Louis smirked hungrily, watching the boy fuck himself on his cock.

After a moment Harry’s legs began to shake and he stopped moving, whining in frustration as sweat glistened on his brow.

Louis took pity on the exhausted human and took one of his legs in the crook of each arm.

“Working so hard for it, love. So good for me.”

Louis began to fuck into him in earnest, and Harry gasped. When he hit that certain spot inside of him, Harry’s cock leaped against his stomach and he stifled a scream.

“S’alright,” Louis gritted between thrusts. “Wanna hear you. _Loud_ , baby.”

“Ah…! AH! Uhn, uhn, uh, Louis fuck, Louis… Jesus fucking _Christ_ …”

Harry’s eyes darted between Louis’ perfect little mouth, set in a determined line, and his beautiful muscles as they flexed.

“Going, gonna _cum_ , Louis, _please_!”

Harry didn’t even have time to see Louis drop one of his legs before a hand was wrapped tightly around the base of his penis.

Harry shouted in alarm as Louis continued to pound him.

“Who do you belong to?” Louis growled.

“Fuck, I, goddammit – it _hurts_ , I…!”

“ _Who_ , Harry?”

“ _You_ , of course you, I’m yours!”

Louis let go and dropped forward, rutting into Harry and grabbing a handful of his curls. At the first sharp tug Harry was cumming harder than he ever had in his life.

“That’s, fucking, _right_ ,” Louis punctuated as his own climax overtook him, forcing a new wave of cum into the boy.

 

They kissed lazily for a moment as they descended from their high, then Louis pulled out gently and got a cloth to clean them with.

“You alright, pet?” Louis asked after he was in bed again and Harry was tucked against his side. Harry noted that his voice was captivatingly more post-sex raspy than usual.

“Doin’ fine,” Harry sighed, voice deep and slow as usual.

 

Harry wasn’t sure how long he’d been asleep, but he awoke with Louis’ arms clenched tightly around his middle.

“Don’t worry; it’s only Liam,” Louis whispered into his ear.

As if on cue there were several sharp raps on the door. Harry jumped in spite of himself.

“Stay here.”

Louis pressed a quick kiss to his shoulder and was at the door in the blink of an eye. Somehow he’d at least gotten his pants on but his hair was a spikey mess.

In the darkness Harry couldn’t see anything but the shape of Liam in the doorway. The two vampires spoke for only a moment; then Liam left and the door was shut again.

Louis approached the bed and knelt down.

“I’ve got to go. There’s some fuss going on. I’m locking the door, so stay in here until I get back. Liam’s going to bring Zayn up here too.

“Is it Eleanor?” Harry asked, worried.

“No. Something else. Go back to sleep.”

“You’ll be safe?” Harry mumbled quietly, feeling stupid, like an over-attached child.

Louis smirked as he pulled a shirt on and ran a hand through his fringe.

“ _You’ll_ be safe, is what matters.”

He winked cheekily at Harry and was out of the door before the boy could think of a response.

 

Harry pulled his blankets up and waited for Liam to bring Zayn. He could certainly use the company. Every silent second seemed like an eternity.

When a knock sounded not a minute later Harry got up and dashed to the door, not even thinking to question how quickly Liam could have gone to fetch Zayn and bring him back. Vampires could travel that quickly, right?

When he unlocked the door and pulled it open, his expectant smile was quickly replaced by a look of panic. He tried to shut the door but Eleanor held it open with a single hand.

“ _Hello_ , little darling.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was going to be a short smut scene... and then... welp. 
> 
> Never had anything against Eleanor at any point, but I needed a villain, so. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! Sorry this update took longer than the others: what with the holidays it's been getting harder to squeeze in my writing. Have a lovely and Larry-filled day everyone <3


	9. Chapter 9

Harry backed up quickly and nearly tripped over a chair. Eleanor looked thoroughly amused as she stepped into the room and shut the door lightly behind her.

“I might have just come in without knocking, but I’m so happy I didn’t – the look on your face is just precious!”

She smiled cruelly and flashed her fangs.

“…What do you want?”

Eleanor ignored him and wrinkled her nose.

“Ugh, it smells terribly of sex in here. Is that all you animals do?”

“I don’t understand what you want with me… Why did you come in here?”

Eleanor was beside him in a flash, gripping his neck and thrusting him up against the wall. Every time he tried to flail she squeezed harder.

“Why did _I_ come in here?” she asked calmly. “Why did _I_ , Louis’ wife, come into _our_ bedroom? I should kill you just for your impertinence.”

Harry broke out in a sweat as stars danced before his eyes. He panicked and began to struggle again. Eleanor rolled her eyes and dropped him, watching pitilessly while he gasped on the floor.

“Did you think I would kill you quickly? I’m not that merciful. Poor little pet.”

She knelt down to pet his curls, like he was a dog. Harry coughed violently and pulled away on shaky limbs. She laughed lightly and drew a small vial from the pocket of her dress.

“Such an unexpected little pawn! You fit _perfectly_ , I’ll have you know. Right when I thought it was impossible, he met you. Lovely.”

She pulled the stop from the vial and then gripped Harry’s chin to force his mouth open. Harry gave a strangled yell, but his voice was too hoarse to travel far. He wished passionately for Louis to appear.

Eleanor tipped the contents onto his tongue and forced his mouth closed, covering his nose as well.

“ _Swallow_ ,” she demanded.

The liquid burned his mouth and tasted putrid, but he couldn’t breathe. Eyes squeezed shut and raining tears, he swallowed.

“There, easy enough!” Eleanor chirped as she stood and brushed herself off.

“I would stay and watch, but Liam must have found Zayn by now, and I’d rather not deal with him just yet.”  

As she fled the room Harry spat onto the ground and tried to force himself to throw up by shoving his fingers down his throat. Just as he felt himself begin to gag, his fingers loosened and then fell from his lips. Within seconds he had no control over his limbs and his every muscle began to seize.

That was the scene that greeted Liam not a moment later when he burst into the room, an unconscious Zayn cradled in his arms.

“HARRY! Harry! FUCK!”

Liam rushed to his side and lay Zayn down quickly, running his hand over Harry’s forehead as the boy’s eyes began to roll back.

“Hang in there, love, Christ’s sakes hang in there! He’s coming! LOUIS!”

The noises faded in Harry’s mind, and blissful darkness smothered the pain that scorched him from the inside.

 

Harry awoke, and nothing felt right. His stomach lurched and he flipped over quickly to vomit but nothing came up. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and he tried to scramble away but his body was having none of it – he wound up falling forward with a whimper.

“Harry, love, it’s me. You’re safe.”

The words, whispered into his ear, took a moment to process.

“L-Louis?”

It took all of Harry’s strength for him to turn his head. His eyes felt swollen and sore, and things were a bit fuzzy, but he knew the shape of Louis’ face and the husky tenor of his voice.

“Yeah, love. ‘S Louis.”

“Where… Am I? Is Eleanor…?”

“You’re in my bed. I don’t know where Eleanor is; she went into hiding, the bitch.”

“ ‘M, I’m not… dead?”

The boy looked so quizzical that Louis had to chuckle. He sobered immediately, however.

“No, not dead. But love, you have to understand that there was only one way to save you…”

It made immediate sense to Harry, and he began to cry.

“No, sweetheart, don’t cry, hush,” Louis comforted, pulling the boy against his chest. “I wouldn’t have done it if there was any other way…”

Harry shuddered as sobs began to wrack his body.

“I only had a second to make the decision, and _fuck_ , Harry-”

“Why didn’t you j-just let me DIE?” Harry broke in loudly, his deep voice carrying straight through Louis’ soft assurances.

“I want to die!”

Louis gripped Harry tighter, as though the boy could will himself to slip away. He said nothing for a moment, but his heart was thundering in his chest and he was sure that Harry could feel it.

“Harry,” he addressed him firmly, despite the tremor in his voice, “I could tell you a thousand reasons why I didn’t let you die, but I’m going to be honest. I’m selfish. I’m too bloody-well fucking selfish to even bear the thought of losing you.”

Harry’s sobs weakened slightly as he listened.

“I’m a bastard for treating you like I have. It’s no excuse, but didn’t know _how_ to treat you. There are things vampires are taught about humans, and things humans are taught about vampires, and I thought it would impossible to cross that void. But you’re making me rethink everything. …I don’t know what to say, except, please, _please_ don’t ever say that you want to die.”

Harry considered his words but said nothing. He felt sick with betrayal. His body hurt in every possible way, and now his mind was reeling as well. Could he really be turning into a vampire? Could Louis have actually _done_ that to him?

He tried to pull back from Louis’ iron grip, and to his surprise, the vampire loosened his hold. They lay at arm’s length now, Louis scanning Harry’s face intently while the boy just stared up at the ceiling.

“I’d like to be left alone, I think,” he said softly.

“I can’t, love,” Louis answered, although he sounded truly regretful.

“Why?” Harry tried to frown at him, but found that it was too much effort.

“Because you’re turning. You’re halfway… I can’t leave you. I’ll go sit in the chair, though, if you like.”

Harry nodded miserably as his fate was confirmed. He felt the mattress lift as Louis stood, and a moment later there was a dragging sound as Louis pulled a chair over to the fireplace and exiled himself.

“…Louis?” the boy whispered.

“Yes, Harry?”

“…Can I have the charm thing? The eye thing?”

In a second’s time a cool weight was being pressed into Harry’s hand. Louis’ hand was on his, then gone again. When Harry brought the glass ball to his eye he was met with the familiar scene of his kitchen, and his mother at the hearth. His eyes began to tear up again in spite of himself, because, after all, they didn’t expect him to come home again anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really short chapter, I'm sorry that this update took so long! Having a rough couple of weeks, but c'est la vie, que sera sera, and all that jazz. 
> 
> Also, you'll notice that I gave up on my shitty chapter titles. It was taking an embarrassing amount of brain power to come up with them when all I wanted to do was post the new chapter... So I'm taking the easy way out ^_^; 
> 
> As always, thank you for taking the time to read.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading the first chapter! <3 I can't wait to start writing the next one. Not sure how long this fic will be, but probably between 5 and 10.


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